Gov. Tony Evers announced Aug. 7 that Wisconsin is filing an appeal to ensure affected communities receive federal disaster aid to rebuild and recover after severe April storms and flooding caused significant damage to public infrastructure.
The appeal comes after the Trump administration denied Wisconsin’s application for FEMA public assistance for Bayfield, Manitowoc, Marathon, Racine, and, later, Sauk counties and hazard mitigation statewide.
From April 13-23, severe storms and flooding caused millions of dollars in damages to homes, businesses and public infrastructure.
In response to the denials, Evers directed Wisconsin Emergency Management to gather additional information and assessments to file an appeal.
While four of the five counties determined they did not require additional public assistance at this time, the needs in Racine County remain, the governor said. Damage was reported across multiple public assets, including two major roadway sections sinking or warping from failing culverts.
“From destroyed roads to flood-damaged public buildings, utilities, businesses, and homes, Wisconsinites have been left in the lurch — again — by the Trump Administration’s baseless denial of FEMA assistance, which, at a time when our state is seeing more severe weather events than ever, is becoming a concerning pattern,” Evers said.
In a letter sent to the governor dated July 8, FEMA said the impact to infrastructure in these communities, in addition to the governor’s statewide request for hazard mitigation funding, “is not of the severity and magnitude to warrant their designation for Public Assistance.”
