Chelan County Could Receive FEMA Aid After December Floods

Chelan County could receive funds for federal disaster assistance following December's floods.

What the Disaster Declaration Would Mean

READ MORE: Flooding and Landslides Make Travel Difficult in Chelan County

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson formally asked President Donald Trump to approve a major federal disaster declaration for Washington state following a series of historic storms that caused widespread flooding, landslides, and damage across the state in December.

Who Could Qualify for Assistance

In a letter sent Tuesday, Ferguson requested that FEMA open its Individual Assistance program for those in affected counties and Tribal nations - an estimated $21.3 million in aid.

“The scale, duration, and severity of this disaster overwhelmed local and state response capabilities,” Ferguson said in a statement. “Thousands of families experienced devastating loss. Federal assistance is essential to help Washingtonians recover from these historic floods.”

Previous Emergency Declaration Explained

The federal government previously approved an emergency declaration, allowing agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard to assist during the storm response. Ferguson's request seeks a full major disaster declaration.

Residents would need to apply directly to FEMA if the declaration is granted. Impacted homeowners, renters, businesses, and nonprofit organizations could also apply for low-interest disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

At the height of the storms, roughly 450,000 customers lost power, and 15 emergency shelters operated statewide.