Congresswoman Schrier Calls For Federal Disaster Declaration and Assistance After Bomb Cyclone in Washington State
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) sent a letter of support to President Biden calling for the president to fulfill Governor Jay Inslee’s request and declare a Major Disaster for Washington State following November’s bomb cyclone. The storm marked one of the most severe weather events in the region in recent memory. Congresswoman Schrier will hold time for media availability focused on this letter tomorrow from 9:00am to 11:00 am PST.
“I know that many communities in the Eighth District are still recovering after November’s bomb cyclone, which caused immense damage, especially in King and Snohomish Counties, which reported tens of millions of dollars in damages,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “Critical local infrastructure was damaged, too. That’s why, alongside my colleagues in the Washington delegation, I’m calling on President Biden to declare a Major Disaster for Washington State in order to open the door for our state to receive the federal aid we need to rebuild and repair infrastructure damaged by the storm.”
November’s bomb cyclone caused immense damage in western Washington and left approximately 650,000 residents without power. The Eastside region of King County took the brunt of the damage with severe power outages that impacted over half of all customers in the county. Throughout King County, city-owned property and local infrastructure such as power lines, water mains, and roads, were damaged. Snohomish County was also heavily impacted, experiencing similar damage with 250,000 residents affected by power outages. The need for FEMA assistance is clear as these costs far exceed the budget constraints of the counties and the state. A disaster declaration would give Washington State access to federal funding to make necessary public infrastructure repairs and support communities where budgets are stretched thin from emergency response and recovery efforts.
The letter sent to President Biden can be found here.
Individuals and business owners in need of assistance can apply for loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which has opened through Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOC) in the area. Two of the centers are located in King County, and one in Snohomish County. The deadline to apply for property damage loan is Feb. 21. The deadline to apply for an economic injury loan is Sep. 23.The centers will assist businesses and residents who sustained economic losses and physical damages. Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.
Congresswoman Schrier was joined by Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Representatives DelBene, Larsen, Gluesenkamp Perez, Newhouse, Baumgartner, Randall, Jayapal, Smith, and Strickland.