OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Governor Bob Ferguson is requesting more assistance from the federal government to help recover from the December floods.

Gov. Ferguson sent a damage assessment of $182.3 million to FEMA on Tuesday, Feb. 17, which he says is a preliminary number that will likely go higher. He’s requesting the funds from the federal Public Assistance Program.

“That program provides up to 75% reimbursement by the federal government for qualifying repairs to our infrastructure,” Ferguson told reporters. “So that would include the kind of things you’d expect: clearing debris, repairing damage to roads, bridges, public buildings, public utilities, water control facilities, parks and more.”

Ferguson told a news conference that the floods’ damage to public infrastructure was the most extensive the state has seen in four decades. He’s also asking for additional funds from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to help prepare for future disasters.

These requests are separate from one Ferguson made in January for more than $21 million to help people whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the floods.

President Trump signed an initial emergency declaration in December that helped pay for search and rescue operations.