Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman announced a $14.62 million allocation of federal disaster recovery funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help North Central Pennsylvania rebuild and recover in the wake of Hurricane Debby. This funding, provided through the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, was authorized by the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2025. It will support unmet recovery needs and mitigation efforts in counties severely impacted by the 2024 storm.
“Families in North Central PA have been through hell since Hurricane Debby, with homes destroyed and lives uprooted,” said Senator Fetterman. “Places like Tioga, Lycoming, Union, and Potter counties — these aren’t areas that get a lot of attention, but that doesn’t mean they don’t matter. This nearly $15 million in funding makes sure that these hard-hit communities will get the support they need to rebuild and be ready for whatever comes next.”
Senator Fetterman has made disaster recovery a top priority, advocating for targeted investments to ensure rural and underserved communities receive the support they need. This funding includes a critical 15% allocation for mitigation efforts, ensuring communities are better prepared for future storms. The funding will address critical recovery efforts such as repairing damaged infrastructure and homes, supporting displaced families, and mitigating future disasters. Counties eligible for the CDBG-DR funding include Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, Union, Elk, Cameron, Clearfield, Indiana, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming, and Sullivan.
“Watching a fire station wash away that has been like a second home to you and to all your members is a horrible experience. Then, just hours after, your federal and state officials are calling you personally, asking ‘What can we do to help?’ That was definitely a breath of fresh air,” said Fire Chief Nick Smith and all the members of the Trout Run Volunteer Fire Company. “We lost half the station while people were sheltering inside from Debby. Literally days later, state and federal officials showed up in vans and started to asset the damage—walking around, with boots on the ground—reassuring us they were going to do everything in their power to help get Trout Run back in order. Well, they did. We can thank Senator Fetterman and his colleagues for pushing to get these funds approved in a fast manner.”
“We appreciate all the efforts that have been made to bring relief to victims of the devastating flooding,” said Potter County Commissioners Nancy Grupp, Paul W. Heimel, and Robert Rossman. “While funding from FEMA and other agencies along with an outpouring of support from volunteers and donors addressed some of the immediate needs, there are still many challenges ahead. Townships and boroughs face the monumental task of repairing infrastructure as well as mitigating future damage. At the same time, many families in the flood zone are still working to put their lives back together.”
“We are extremely thankful for Senator Fetterman’s steadfast support to the people of Pennsylvania,” said Lycoming County Commissioners Scott L. Metzger, Marc C. Sortman, and Mark Mussina. “Recovery efforts after a disaster takes time and a toll on the communities and residents effected. Additional resources like this funding will undoubtably improve the situation for many of our residents. Additional CDBG-Disaster Relief funding could greatly benefit Lycoming County’s residents in the areas of Floodplain restoration, Acquisition/Demolitions, and Demolition/Reconstruction. The Lycoming County Board of Commissioners is very appreciative of Senator Fetterman’s continued efforts in assisting with the recovery of our residents.”
“We would like to thank Senator Fetterman for standing by Tioga County through the entire recovery process,” said Tioga Commissioners Sam VanLoon, Marc Rice, and Shane Nickerson. “Although we are grateful for all that both PEMA and FEMA have done for our entire region, we still have many unmet needs. This funding will be vitally important for those individuals and small businesses that have slipped through the cracks. Thank you for being with us from the beginning of this process.”
“Union County experienced flood damages from Hurricane Debbie to residential foundations and properties, agricultural operations, and waterway erosion,” said Preston Boop on behalf of the Union County Commissioners. “Any funding we might receive will be used to remediate these types of losses.”
