“Another troubling example of the federal government withholding funding,” says Washington State governor, as FEMA denies bomb cyclone disaster recovery funds.
King County was one of eleven Washington State counties that applied for disaster relief after storms caused heavy damage in November 2024, estimated at $34 million. Governor Bob Ferguson offered the following statement in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) denial:
“There are very clear criteria to qualify for these emergency relief funds. Washington’s application met all of them. 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 federal disaster aid request from Washington state has been denied, three months after officials sought federal assistance to recover from a series of severe November storms, including a powerful “bomb cyclone” that tore through multiple counties, causing widespread damage and claiming two lives.
Initially, then-Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency for nine counties—Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, King, Pacific, Snohomish, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, and Whatcom. Governor Bob Ferguson later expanded the declaration to include Clallam and Jefferson counties after further assessments revealed the full scope of the destruction.
In January, the state applied for federal disaster relief funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), seeking help to cover damages estimated at $34 million. The damage includes significant impacts to public highways, utilities, and power systems. FEMA responded on Friday, denying the request without explanation.
Under FEMA’s public assistance programs, the federal government typically reimburses at least 75% of eligible disaster recovery costs. The state’s preliminary estimate is expected to rise as local officials continue to update their damage reports in preparation for an appeal.
Washington has 30 days to submit its appeal.
