Last week, President Obama declared Maryland’s brush with Hurricane Sandy a major disaster, freeing federal funding for emergency response and recovery.  The declaration covers the period of October 26 through November 4, 2012.  According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),

The President’s action makes federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Sandy in Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties and the Independent City of Baltimore.

Maryland’s Congressional delegation applauded the President’s declaration, as reported by Gazette.net,

“Public assistance and hazard mitigation is good news for communities from the Eastern Shore to Western Maryland,” Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D) of Baltimore said in a statement Wednesday. “It will provide much-needed support as we work to recover and rebuild lives and businesses.”