WA reps seek aid, disaster declaration from federal government for bomb cyclone recovery
Jan 16, 2025, 11:58 AM
Branches and other debris from trees break through the roof of a Washington home. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Nearly two months after a bomb cyclone weather event swept across the Pacific Northwest, killing four people (two in Washington) and knocking out power for nearly one million customers in Oregon, Washington and parts of Canada, Washington representatives are asking for financial assistance from the federal government.
U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) sent a letter to President Biden asking for the federal government to declare the event as a major disaster, echoing former Governor Jay Inslee’s request.
Congress representatives Kim Schrier (D, WA-08), Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), Dan Newhouse (R, WA-04), Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), Emily Randall (D, WA-06), Marie Gluensenkamp Perez (D, WA-03) and Michael Baumgartner (R, WA-05) signed the letter in support.
More on Inslee’s request: Inslee declares bomb cyclone state emergency, opening up $1M in funding
“The November storm delivered catastrophic impacts across the Evergreen state, impacting millions of residents and wreaking havoc on communities,” the letter read. “The storm was one of the most severe the state has seen, toppling trees into homes, damaging power infrastructure across multiple counties, paralyzing major transportation corridors and tragically claiming two lives.”
Last week, Inslee signed Proclamation 25-01 on Tuesday, opening up $1 million in funding to support recovery efforts, according to a news release from the governor’s office. The money will be provided to Washington’s Emergency Management Division from the Department of Commerce.
While that’s a start for recovery, an initial assessment displayed Washington suffered more than $34 million in damages to infrastructure, parks, cultural sites, schools, public buildings, and other public structures and facilities, according to the letter. Inslee released a formal request for a federal major disaster declaration from Biden just days before the letter was sent.
“Pacific, Snohomish and Wahkiakum Counties experienced widespread destruction including sinkholes, crippled utility infrastructure and damaged public and private structures,” Schrier wrote in her letter for Biden. “In eastern Washington, Walla Walla County suffered damage to local utilities and infrastructure, including a local cemetery. Debris removal and cleanup efforts are still underway.”
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To apply for emergency funding for King County, click here. For Snohomish County, click here and for Whatcom County, visit this link.
To qualify for state individual assistance, residents must live in the affected counties, have a household income at or below 80% of the median income and be able to provide proof that the November bomb cyclone storm either destroyed property or caused significant damage.
Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest and producer of the Seattle Seahawks podcast, The Reset with Gee Scott. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.
