President Donald Trump has approved federal aid for the state of Washington after the destructive floods in December of last year. The decision opens access to tens of millions of dollars to reimburse the state, counties, cities and sovereign tribal nations, which have their own governments and interact with authorities under a distinct legal status. Storm damage from 18 days of rain and high winds is estimated at more than $182 million.
The state and local governments can now request federal reimbursement for 75% of eligible cleanup and infrastructure repair costs. The exact amount of aid will be determined after detailed applications and assessments by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Officials say that because of the complex funding system, the final accounting of funds received could take four to six years.
Residents of the six hardest-hit counties and some tribal nations will be eligible for individual assistance. They may qualify for payments of up to $43,600 for temporary housing, home repairs and low-interest loans. Total individual assistance for Washington residents is estimated at about $21 million.
Affected people must first file claims with their insurance companies and then apply for federal assistance through DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone. Those who do not meet FEMA criteria may be eligible for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. A FEMA coordinator has already arrived at Camp Murray (headquarters of the National Guard) to help with the distribution of funds.
Major funds will go toward reimbursing debris removal and repairs to roads, bridges and dams. Special attention is being paid to restoring key transportation arteries such as Highway 2. This highway, which crosses the Cascade Range, is vital to the state’s economy, linking the densely populated west with eastern regions and facilitating the movement of goods and people. Its prolonged closure caused significant harm. Aid will be available to 24 affected counties, cities, tribal governments and some nonprofit organizations. The state legislature has already allocated $45 million in loans to local governments, expecting subsequent federal reimbursement.
During the December storms, more than 100,000 residents were evacuated, one person died and nearly 4,000 homes were damaged. Portions of Highway 2 were closed for several months and did not fully reopen to two-way traffic until February. Many roads and protective structures still need repair.
One part of the aid request that was not approved was $36.6 million for measures to mitigate future disasters. Governor Bob Ferguson, the state’s top elected executive coordinating crisis response, had requested the funds for protective structures such as floodwalls. FEMA gave no guidance on that request, and Trump has not approved such grants for any state in more than a year.
Based on: What Trump’s approval of flood relief money means for WA