Washington won’t receive federal aid to cover tens of millions of dollars in damage to public property caused by last fall’s bomb cyclone.
The Trump administration denied the state’s request for federal disaster relief in April. Washington filed an appeal, but the administration rejected it Thursday.
The two-paragraph letter penned by a top Federal Emergency Management Agency official says a thorough review reaffirmed the original decision that federal aid “is not warranted.” No reasons are given.
“They still refuse to explain their outrageous decision,” Gov. Bob Ferguson said in a written statement. “My team and I are working to exhaust every possible avenue to get additional support for our state’s recovery. We cannot count on the Trump Administration to uphold its responsibilities to Washingtonians.”
Last month, Washington’s entire congressional delegation sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to reconsider the April denial.
“It is outrageous,” U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Friday. “This is exactly the kind of catastrophic event federal disaster aid was designed for. There is simply no justification for this betrayal that leaves local communities and residents of Washington state shouldering painful disaster recovery costs when the federal government was supposed to have their backs.”
The intense November storm damaged hundreds of homes and businesses, caused widespread power outages, and killed two people.
Then-Gov. Jay Inslee declared a disaster and opened up $1 million in state recovery funding for those hit by the storm in King, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. The federal Small Business Administration also made low-interest disaster assistance loans available for residents and businesses in Chelan, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Pierce, Snohomish and Yakima counties.
In January, Inslee asked for federal aid from FEMA to repair damage to highways, public utilities and more. His request focused on Grays Harbor, King, Pacific, Snohomish, Wahkiakum and Walla Walla counties. The state’s request outlined over $34 million in damages across the six counties.
The federal funding typically reimburses at least three-quarters of eligible costs from disasters.
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