Latest news with #HazardMitigationGrantProgram
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington lawmakers urge Trump to reconsider disaster funds after bomb cyclone
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A bipartisan group of Washington state lawmakers is urging President Trump to reconsider the state's major disaster declaration request after a deadly bomb cyclone in November. On May 21, Washington's congressional delegation sent a letter to the president, emphasizing the need for federal assistance to address the $34 million in damage from devastating windstorms, heavy rain, flooding and mudslides from Nov. 17-25, 2024. The damage spanned six counties, including Pacific, Wahkiakum, East King, Grays Harbor, Snohomish, and Walla Walla counties, lawmakers said, noting Pacific and Wahkiakum saw sinkholes, damaged utility infrastructure and structures. Portland infrastructure at risk due to gradual sinking, study says 'One of the most destructive storms in recent history, it overwhelmed public infrastructure, endangered lives, and left residents across the state grappling with long-term consequences. This is precisely the kind of catastrophic event for which the federal declaration process was designed. The state's request outlines over $34 million in damages across these six counties – costs that local governments cannot and should not be expected to shoulder alone,' the lawmakers wrote Trump. 'Disaster declarations are not symbolic, they are critical lifelines for communities in crisis. Washington state's first responders, local governments, and emergency management professionals have done everything within their means to begin recovery, but the scale of the damage requires federal support through the Public Assistance Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program,' the letter continued. Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) signed the letter along with Reps. Suzan DelBene (D-01), Rick Larsen (D-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-03), Dan Newhouse (R-04), Michael Baumgartner (R-05), Emily Randall (D-06), Pramila Jayapal (D-07), Kim Schrier (D-08), Adam Smith (D-09), and Marilyn Strickland (D-10). Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The lawmakers previously urged then-President Biden to grant the declaration in January. The letter comes after the denied FEMA relief in April. 'There are very clear criteria to qualify for these emergency relief funds. Washington's application met all of them,' Gov. Ferguson said in April. 'This is another troubling example of the federal government withholding funding. Washington communities have been waiting for months for the resources they need to fully recover from last winter's devastating storms, and this decision will cause further delay. We will appeal.' A bloody poster of The Cure and 'a lot of weed': Logic transforms St. Helens record shop for debut film According to Gov. Ferguson's office, Washington applied for FEMA disaster relief funds in January to repair public highways, utilities and electrical power systems. However, , stating the federal funds were not 'warranted.' In a statement to KOIN 6 News on April 17, a FEMA spokesperson said, 'FEMA denied Washington's declaration after a thorough assessment showed the event's damage does not exceed the state, local governments, and voluntary organizations' capacity to respond—thus, supplemental federal aid is not justified. This decision is based on policy, not politics; Tennessee and Arkansas were also denied the same day. The only one politicizing this is Washington's governor, who'd rather play partisan games than lead his state's recovery efforts—unlike the last administration, DHS and FEMA remain focused on equitable, non-political disaster response.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon Congress members urge White House to approve FEMA request for floods
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Members of the U.S. Congress representing Oregon are urging for approval of after devasting floods hit Harney County and other counties in March. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Representative Val Hoyle are asking the federal government to approve the Major Disaster Declaration. Feds to recover $6.7M in stolen Portland city funds In a joint statement to President Donald Trump, the lawmakers said the FEMA funding is necessary after communities were severely damaged in Coos, Curry, Douglas and Harney counties from March 13-20. The flooding happened when warm rains, rapid snowmelt, runoff, erosion and other weather events flooded three rivers, with wind gusts causing power outages and block roads. 'We encourage your administration to deliver the tools needed to protect lives, restore order, and families back on their feet,' the joint statement said. 'Oregon has demonstrated its ability to successfully use federal disaster dollars in the past, and we are confident they will be effective and efficient with funds from FEMA should they be provided for this disaster as well. They're also urging the White House to make the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program available to in a way that prevents future disaster losses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
FEMA staff heading to McDowell County communities
welch — FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams have started reaching out in McDowell County by going door-to-door and helping people affected by the Feb. 15 flooding which struck much of southern West Virginia. On Feb. 26, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that President Trump had approved his request for Individual Assistance in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties. Another nine counties in that request — Raleigh, Greenbrier, Summers, Wayne, Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln and Logan – are still being considered by FEMA. FEMA's Individual Assistance program provides funds to individuals facing major damage to their homes or property. This declaration also gives all West Virginia counties the opportunity to participate in the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which can provide resources to alleviate or reduce future flooding and help public service districts with wastewater treatment and other long-term hazard reduction projects. The FEMA representatives going door-to-door in McDowell County can help flood victims register for FEMA assistance, check the status of applications and make minor corrections to applications, according to agency officials. Residents of McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties are eligible to apply for FEMA assistance to help with recovery from the winter floods that began on Feb. 15, 2025. People do not need to wait for Disaster Survivor Assistance teams to apply for FEMA assistance. They can also: – Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone line operates seven days a week. People using a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, should give FEMA their phone number for this service. • Visit • Download the FEMA App. For people who have already applied for FEMA assistance, FEMA inspectors will follow up on applications and review reported damages. The public is being warned that while FEMA staff will be visiting their neighborhoods, it is important to be aware of potential fraud and scams by people claiming to represent FEMA. Members of the public seeking FEMA assistance should remember that: • FEMA representatives never charge a fee or ask for payment. • FEMA representatives will always have a laminated identification badge. • Protect the privacy of your nine-digit FEMA case/registration number. • Legitimate FEMA representatives will only ask for the last four digits as part of the verification process. People with any concerns can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. For more information on disaster recovery, visit West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, and Mercer County has established a dedicated phone line, 304-487-2923, at the Mercer County 911 Center for reporting needs for flooding resources from the Mercer County Office of Emergency Management. This number features a prerecorded message and will prompt callers to leave a detailed message, including your name and phone number. Their messages will be given to Office of Emergency Services Director Keith Gunnoe. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
McDowell, Mercer included in federal disaster declaration
princeton — Disaster victims of the Feb. 15 storm which brought record flooding across four southern West Virginia counties can now start applying to FEMA for federal aid. Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Wednesday evening that President Donald Trump had accepted his request for Individual Assistance in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties. Another nine counties in the request — Raleigh, Greenbrier, Summers, Wayne, Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln and Logan – still remain under consideration by FEMA. The Individual Assistance (IA) program provides funds to individuals facing major damage to their homes or property. This declaration also provides the opportunity for all West Virginia counties to participate in the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which can provide resources to alleviate or reduce future flooding and help public service districts with wastewater treatment and other long-term hazard reduction projects. 'I'm grateful to President Trump and Secretary Noem for stepping up to support West Virginians in need,' Morrisey said when he announced the declaration. 'Thank you as well to Senators Capito and Justice, and to Representatives Miller and Moore, for their efforts. The Major Disaster Declaration will supplement the work being completed on the ground and provide relief to recovering communities in southern West Virginia.' FEMA disaster relief centers have not been established yet, but flood victims in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties can start applying for FEMA Individual Assistance. Applications can be made by calling FEMA at 800-621-FEMA (3362). Applicants can also use the TTY number, 800-462-7585, which is for special communications equipment used by people who cannot use regular telephones due to hearing loss or other difficulties. FEMA applications can be made online at or by downloading the FEMA app on a cellphone. Morrisey's request for federal Public Assistance was still being reviewed Thursday by FEMA. Keith Gunnoe, director of the Mercer County Office of Emergency Management said that while Individual Assistance is for people with damage to their homes or property, Public Assistance is for addressing infrastructure losses such as damaged public roads or water systems. FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available in West Virginia to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides beginning on Feb. 15, and continuing. 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. Mark O'Hanlon has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of further damage assessments. In a joint statement, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito. and Jim Justice, as well as U.S. Reps. Carol Miller, and Riley Moore, said they applauded the president's approval for Individual Assistance in the four counties. 'We are grateful for the efforts and service of Governor Morrisey, local leaders, neighbors, first responders, and the West Virginia National Guardsmen who sprang into action when these storms struck. The Trump administration's approval of our state's request for federal disaster aid is welcome news for communities in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties as they work to recover and rebuild following these devastating storms, and we are glad that help will soon be on the way to southern West Virginia,' the lawmakers said in their joint statement. While Mercer County doesn't have a disaster recovery center yet, FEMA will announce a location and its hours when arrangements are complete, Gunnoe said. An exact date for opening a center had not been set Thursday. Meanwhile, counties are still working to help flood victims recover. In Mercer County, a dedicated phone line has been set up at the Mercer County 911 Center for reporting needs or requests for flooding resources from the Mercer County Office of Emergency Management. Callers will hear a prerecorded message asking them to leave a message including their name and telephone number. The messages are then forwarded to Keith Gunnoe at the Office of Emergency Services. The dedicated number is 304-487-2923. In McDowell County, there is a helpline at 1-888-929-4966. Callers can use Option 1 to request help with non-life-threatening needs or Option 2 if they want to volunteer or make a donation. Anyone wishing to have their well water tested that was affected by the flood, should contact the McDowell County WV Health Department at 304-448-2174. The McDowell County Office of Emergency Services is accepting donations to help replace private bridges that were lost or damaged during the flood. Materials such as drainage pipe, bridge supports, beams and anything that can be used in this process are being accepted. All donations of bridge material should be dropped off at the former Kimball Walmart office. Donors are asked to call ahead at the 1-888-929-4966 helpline before dropping off donations. In addition, anyone with equipment or those wishing to help in the replacement of these bridges is welcome. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
West Virginia receives Major Disaster Declaration for southern floods
CLARKSBURG, (WBOY) — Nearly two weeks after major floods struck the southern coalfields of West Virginia and killed three people, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has announced that the federal government has accepted the state's request for federal aid. According to a release put out Wednesday night, Individual Assistance—which provides funds to individual people experiencing significant damage to their homes or property—has been granted in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming counties. The nine other counties in the initial request still remain under consideration by FEMA. Officials investigating fatal accident involving dirt bike in Harrison County Gov. Morrisey praised President Donald Trump and Secretary Noem for 'supporting West Virginians in need' as well as members of Congress who represent the state for their efforts. He added that this Major Disaster Declaration will help provide 'relief to recovering communities in southern West Virginia.' With this declaration, the release said that West Virginia counties can also now participate in the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which can provide resources to help mitigate or prevent damage from flooding in the future. It can also assist Public Service Districts with wastewater treatment and other 'long-term hazard reduction projects.' Gov. Morrisey's Public Assistance Request is still under review by FEMA. Those who wish to apply for assistance can visit FEMA's website here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
