Michigan U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Waterford Township, wants the federal government to step in when the state’s monopoly utilities struggle to restore power following severe weather. Stevens recently introduced the Prolonged Power Outage Relief Act to expand federal disaster assistance to include outages impacting more than 25 businesses or homes for more than 48 hours.
The amendment to the Small Business Act would allow those impacted to apply for low-interest loans to repair or replace appliances, machinery, or equipment or to purchase generators and other power sources to mitigate future outages.
“After ice storms and tornadoes swept our state earlier this month, it is more important than ever to make sure Michiganders have the support they need to continue to care for their families,” Stevens said in a statement.
“That’s why I introduced the Prolonged Power Outage Relief Act, because at a time where prices are on the rise, families and small businesses shouldn’t have to shoulder the cost of power outages alone,” she said. “Keeping businesses open and families fed is key to ensuring that storms don’t cause long-term financial hardship for Michiganders, and I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation to get the job done.”
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