Jan 11, 2013 1 min read

HARRISBURG (AP) – The federal government has declared a major disaster in the state from last year’s Superstorm Sandy, which left more than a million people without power and hundreds of roads closed because of debris and downed trees.

President Barack Obama signed the disaster declaration Thursday. More disaster relief could be approved if ongoing damage assessments show it is needed, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said.

The declaration makes aid available to reimburse the state and local governments for costs to remove debris and repair damage on publicly owned property and for emergency preparation and response costs. The state has counted about $22 million in damage from the storm to properties including roads, bridges and water treatment plants, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency said Friday.

Federal funding will be available for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities. It applies to affected areas in Bedford, Bucks, Cameron, Dauphin, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Potter, Somerset, Sullivan and Wyoming counties.

The storm caused record outages in Pennsylvania. At its peak, 1.2 million customers in the state were without power.