Dearborn to receive $2.3M to upgrade storm infrastructure, address flooding

Dearborn will get more than $2.3 million in federal funds to help upgrade the city's storm infrastructure after severe storms in June 2021 caused widespread flooding.

The money will reimburse the city for costs to remove debris, according to a news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“The city of Dearborn has done a great job with its recovery efforts,” said Capt. Kevin Sweeney, deputy state director of emergency management and commander of the Michigan State Police/Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division. "This federal funding will further the progress as it helps restore the city’s budget, freeing up additional resources that could be used to prevent future flood damage through mitigation efforts."

The historic 2021 storms were massive, flooding roadways and causing widespread power and phone outages throughout the region as some cities saw more than a half of foot of rain in just 24 hours. State and federal officials both declared the area to be in a state of disaster as floods left cars stranded on the roads and dumped nearly 10 billion gallons of sewer overflow — including a significant amount of diluted raw sewage — into state waterways.

City engineers in Dearborn said Outer Drive had 7.58 inches of rain, more than two and a half times the 3 inches sewer drains in the area could handle.

FEMA awarded the city $2,370,160, or 90% of the eligible reimbursable expenses, according to the agency. The remaining 10% of the $2.6 million effort is paid by the state.

In a joint news release celebrating the funding, U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, and Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, both applauded the money that would allow Dearborn to build infrastructure more resilient against future storms.

“We are living with the devastating effects of the climate crisis, and our residents are experiencing it firsthand. The mass flooding in the summer of 2021 caused severe damage to our communities in Dearborn, flooding homes, damaging small businesses, and displacing our residents," Tlaib said."I am proud to announce that FEMA will send $2.3 million to Dearborn to invest in climate resilience. As these severe storms become more frequent, this funding is essential in preventing future flood damage by upgrading our city’s infrastructure.”