Winthrop Will Not Receive Federal Aid for January Storm

Town Manager Terence Delehanty reports that Winthrop will not receive federal aid following Winter Storm Grayson due to insufficient damage estimates statewide.

Massachusetts failed to meet disaster declaration level.

The town received word last week that Massachusetts will not be seeking a federal disaster declaration for the Jan. 4 storm, as the state did not meet the required threshold for aid.

Nicknamed the “Bomb Cyclone”, Winter Storm Grayson brought heavy snowfall, damaging winds and coastal flooding, causing many residents to evacuate or be displaced.

To receive federal assistance for recovery efforts, Massachusetts had to illustrate that its total damages exceeded the state’s aid threshold of $9.5 million. Despite more than 85 separate damage assessments coming from the Town of Winthrop alone, the state was only able to verify losses in the $5.9 million range.

“Although the storm caused substantial damage to our town, collective assessments statewide were not high enough for us receive aid,” Delehanty said. “However, we will continue our local recovery efforts to help ease the burden faced by those affected by the storm.”