The American Bar Association (ABA) is mobilizing lawyers to provide legal services to victims of the recent wildfires on Maui. A telephone hotline has been activated to connect victims in qualifying counties who cannot afford an attorney to lawyers who can respond to disaster-related legal issues. Survivors can call the hotline between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Lawyers interested in assisting can find opportunities online or donate to a special fund set up to support legal services in Maui. Read more about these efforts.

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) announced today that is awarding $19.8 million to 14 legal services organizations to support the delivery of legal services to low-income people impacted by hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, floods and severe storms that occurred in 2022. Among the recipients is West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS), which will use $849,009 to provide legal services to those impacted by severe winter weather in 2022, including two storms that were FEMA-declared disasters. WTLS also may use the funds to hire additional staff to educate affected populations on disaster-related issues and strengthen disaster-response networks.The money was made available by Congress in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis has asked Gov. Bill Lee to make a disaster declaration for Shelby County, after severe thunderstorms last week damaged businesses, homes and utilities, Action News 5 reports. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris declared a local state of emergency on July 21. In his letter to the governor, Cohen noted that the West Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) has estimated that damage from high winds will exceed $11 million. In addition, a diesel fuel leak from a generator in Germantown has affected approximately 4.5 million gallons of water. Germantown Mayor Mike Palazzolo told a press conference that the diesel-contaminated water will be "pumped away" from homes into the stormwater conveyance system that leads to the Wolf River, reports the Commercial Appeal.

President Joe Biden approved federal disaster assistance for Tennessee today to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms that occurred March 1-3. The designation allows federal disaster assistance to be made available to affected individuals in Benton, Bledsoe, Campbell, Carroll, Cheatham, Clay, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, Dickson, Fentress, Gibson, Giles, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Macon, Madison, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Montgomery, Moore, Obion, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Rhea, Robertson, Stewart, Sumner, Tipton, Wayne and White counties. Those who sustained losses can begin applying for assistance online or by calling 800-621-3362 Learn more about ways you can help.

President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Tennessee today. The designation allows federal disaster assistance to be made available to affected individuals in Cannon, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Rutherford, Tipton and Wayne counties for recovery efforts following storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes on March 31 and April 1. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Those who sustained losses can begin applying for assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Funding is also available for affected state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations. Learn more about ways to help.

ABC News 24 reports that Gov. Bill Lee made an emergency declaration to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Rutherford, Tipton and Wayne counties for debris removal and emergency protective measures related to the March 31 and April 1 tornado and severe weather response. If that request is granted, FEMA will also provide direct aid to eligible Tennessee residents in the requested counties for disaster-related costs and expenses. 

The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) has confirmed at least 15 weather-related deaths after last weekend’s storms in five counties: McNairy, Shelby, Roane, Tipton and Henry. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) also estimates that more than 260 homes were damaged, and according to the National Weather Service, tornadoes touched down in Covington and Adamsville and Lewis County. Shelters are open in Readyville, Covington and Waynesboro, according to Action News 5. Gov. Bill Lee has not requested a federal disaster declaration but those in need of legal assistance can call the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services’ helpline at 1-844-HELP4TN. Attorneys interested in volunteering to help storm victims can sign up here. Also be sure to check out the TBA’s disaster resources webpage for more ways to help.

Metro Nashville on Tuesday filed suit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over more than $11 million in denied reimbursement claims stemming from the 2010 Nashville flood, the Nashville Post reports. Metro says it spent the money on repairs to the K.R. Harrington Water Treatment Facility and Metro Transit Authority facilities following the flood. Reimbursement requests for the repairs have been denied several times by FEMA. Metro claims reimbursements were denied once due to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency failing to timely forward its appeal request on to the federal government. Another denial, Metro alleges, was due to “a typographic error.” Baker Donelson is representing Metro in the case.

President Joe Biden has granted a major disaster declaration for seven Tennessee counties as a result of a winter storm last month, the Associated Press reports. The declaration will give local jurisdictions and some private, nonprofit organizations access to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program. Counties included in the declaration include Crockett, Fayette, Haywood, Lauderdale, Shelby, Tipton and Weakley. Gov. Bill Lee requested the declaration, while the state’s congressional delegation supported it.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee yesterday sought a federal disaster declaration for damage in the Memphis area following an ice storm on Feb. 3, the Daily Memphian reports. The Memphis City Council had earlier approved a resolution urging Lee to seek such a declaration and U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, had called on the governor to make the request. Last month, Lee asked FEMA to assess damage from the storm, which resulted in downed trees and more than 100,000 homes and businesses going without electricity, some for more than a week.