FEMA Awards $15.8M for Michigan Ice Storm Recovery

Federal assistance totaling $15.8 million has been awarded to two government agencies and a Northern Michigan electric cooperative for recovery from a March 2025 ice storm. The funds will reimburse expenses incurred for debris removal and the restoration of public safety communications. Presque Isle Electric & Gas, a nonprofit utility serving approximately 32,000 members across nine counties, will receive the majority of the aid, $14.7 million. The cooperative reported spending over $145 million to restore its electric grid, which was severely damaged by at least an inch of ice and toppled infrastructure.

The Charlevoix County Road Commission will receive $642,000 for labor and equipment costs associated with clearing debris from public roads. Additionally, the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget is allocated $383,000 for repairing damaged communication towers, satellite dishes, electric poles, and fiber optic cables statewide. The historic ice storm, which occurred from March 28-30, 2025, impacted roughly 245,000 customers, leading Governor Gretchen Whitmer to declare a state of emergency for 27 counties.