President Joe Biden announced $612 million in recovery aid for areas hit by Hurricanes Milton and Helene as he surveyed the aftermath of Milton, Florida.
“This funding will not only restore power, but also make the region’s electric system stronger and more efficient, reducing the frequency and duration of power outages as extreme weather events become more common,” Biden said Sunday during a stop in St. Pete Beach.
Biden said Friday that the damage was solely due to Milton could be around $50 billion based on early assessments. According to the White House, Sunday’s funding announcement will benefit six Department of Energy projects to strengthen the region’s power grid.
The trip is part of an effort by Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running for president in the Nov. 5 election, to reassure voters that they are maximizing the government’s disaster response and countering claims from former President Donald Trump, the Republican Candidate that the government is not doing enough.
Milton is the second storm to hit Florida in recent weeks, wreaking new havoc in a state still recovering from Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread damage across the southeastern United States. Harris visited North Carolina on Sunday for stops including a campaign rally.
The relief funds will be distributed through the Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program. Projects set to receive some of the funding include $47 million for Gainesville Regional Utilities and $47 million for Switched Source through a partnership with Florida Power & Light.