More than two months after a historic ice storm brought millions of dollars worth of damage to Northern Michigan, state politicians are appealing to President Donald Trump to approve a disaster declaration request for the region.
U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin, along with U.S. Representative Jack Bergman, are calling on Trump to approve the State of Michigan’s Small Business Administration (SBA) Rapid Administrative Disaster Declaration request.
Downed power poles and lines are seen on South Otsego Avenue in Gaylord on Monday, March 31, 2025.
More: Whitmer submits major disaster declaration request for Northern Michigan ice storm
According to a press release from Peters’ office, the National Weather Service has ranked the ice storm, which battered Northern Michigan from March 28-30, among the most significant storms to ever hit the region, bringing an estimated $137 million in immediate response costs, including damages afflicted to homes, businesses and infrastructure.
The summer tourism industry is expected to be impacted by the storms as well, as an estimated 3 million acres of forest was damaged.
“The economic fallout from the storm has been staggering,” the three lawmakers wrote in the joint release. “In Emmet County, the second-most populous county in Northern Michigan, a local business survey conducted in the storm’s aftermath found that 97% of businesses experienced disruption, with 86% forced to suspend operations and 71% reporting employees unable to report to work. More than half of these businesses reported infrastructure damage, inventory loss or supply chain disruptions. Small businesses throughout the region, many of which are already operating on thin margins, are now struggling to recover.”
Mary Bielaczyc begins cleaning up a yard in Petoskey on Thursday, April 3, 2025 following a destructive ice storm.
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If the SBA Rapid Administrative Disaster Declaration were to be approved, eligible businesses, homeowners, renters and private nonprofits in the disaster area would be able to apply for SBA disaster loans to help with their recovery. In addition to people within Cheboygan, Mackinac, Emmet, Charlevoix, Otsego, Montmorency and Presque Isle counties, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians would be able to apply for the disaster loans.
“The hardworking people and businesses of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are strong and resilient,” they wrote in the joint release. “Yet, local capacity is limited, and recovery of this magnitude requires a coordinated effort at all levels of government. As such, we respectfully request that SBA swiftly approve Governor (Gretchen) Whitmer’s request for an administrative declaration of disaster. This declaration would make available critical federal support and resources to struggling business owners as they continue working to stabilize operations, preserve jobs, and rebuild.”
Whitmer formally filed a major disaster declaration request in relation to the ice storm to the Federal Emergency Management Agency on May 16.
— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @KarlyGrahamJrn.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Legislators unite to seek ice storm disaster declaration from Trump for Northern Michigan