AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage is asking for federal disaster relief for all 16 counties for damage from the December ice storm.

LePage said Monday that the request documents more than $1.8 million in damage from the ice storm that knocked out power to more than 160,000 homes and businesses and left many in the dark for a week. He said the state continues to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to verify additional damage.

LePage said the request is just now being made because of “red tape.” He said he’s disappointed that under federal policy much of the cost of sanding and salting roads was deemed ineligible for assistance.

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