WA counties ‘grateful’ as Trump opens up federal funding after December flooding
Washington just got a bit of good news after devastating flooding, landslides and storms last December rocked wide swaths of the state.
The news, announced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over the weekend, was greeted by counties hit hard by the historic weather event.
An April 11 news release states that President Donald Trump has green-lit a major disaster declaration for the state, making federal dollars available to affected residents in several tribes and counties — including Pierce, Thurston and Whatcom — as well as to certain nonprofits and local, tribal and state governments.
Gov. Bob Ferguson commended the decision in a Saturday post on X.
“I appreciate the president approving a major disaster declaration for Washington state and approving funding,” he wrote. “Thanks also to the bipartisan coalition of local, state and federal officials who worked hard to advocate for this approval.”
Still, the amount of aid that Trump is making available to the state remains unclear.
Washington officials have held their breath as they waited to hear whether Trump would act to help the state recover from last year’s historic flooding disaster. The federal administration previously denied the state’s request for assistance following the November 2024 bomb cyclone event.
Earlier this year Ferguson asked for up to $173 million from the federal government to handle the infrastructure damage from the flooding and to get ready for future disasters, per the Washington State Standard. At the time the projected damage was $182.3 million, preliminarily. In addition, Ferguson asked for more than $21 million to assist Washington flood survivors.
More than 100,000 Washingtonians faced evacuation orders during the flooding, with close to 4,000 residences getting damaged, as noted by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
Pierce County
David Kennedy, spokesperson for Pierce County Emergency Management (PCEM), said in an email that the president’s major disaster declaration unlocks much-needed funding to help the county empower residents and businesses to move ahead and recover. He explained that it also lets PCEM and other Pierce County agencies apply for federal aid to pay for crucial infrastructure replacement and repairs.
“Pierce County is very appreciative of the assistance the State of Washington and the federal government have provided to those impacted by the floods, storms, and landslides in December 2025,” he said.
During the flooding, crews with Pierce County finished 775 feet of emergency-levee repairs along the Carbon and Puyallup rivers, Kennedy said. Roads were also hit. Some 112 reports of water over the roadway and other drainage issues were logged, he said.
A repair plan is underway following a damage assessment of Pierce County’s levee system, he said.
So far the county, alongside the state’s emergency management division, has worked to register 170 households for Washington’s individual assistance grant program, Kennedy said. On top of that, Pierce County residents have benefited from four low-interest-rate disaster assistance loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration that total nearly $100,000.
After December’s storms and flooding, PCEM fielded 131 damage assessment reports from local businesses and residents, he said. In all, 16 jurisdictions in Pierce County, such as cities and towns, estimate having faced $8.3 million in damages.
Survivors can register for further disaster assistance by using the FEMA app, going to DisasterAssistance.gov or calling 1-800-621-3362, he said. To apply for disaster aid with the U.S. Small Business Administration, contact 1-800-659-2955 or visit sba.gov/disaster.
Thurston County
Thurston County Emergency Management was “encouraged to see federal disaster funding becoming available” to help Washington communities, Emergency Management Manager Kyle Bustad said via email.
“While Thurston County didn’t see the same level of impact as some of our neighboring counties, we know how significant this event was across the region,” he said. “We’re grateful to see federal funding become available and will continue to support and advocate for the communities that were hardest hit as they move through recovery.”
Bustad said it’s unclear how much total funding will be freed up to individuals or to Thurston County. He noted that dollars will be determined according to FEMA’s process, based on eligibility and verified damages.
Local impacts from December’s weather event included roadway damage and flooding and hits to private property, particularly in flood-prone and low-lying areas, he said — plus “disruptions to access for some residents.”
Thurston County residents, using the self-reported Thurston County Damage Assessment Form, logged about $683,000 in damages, Bustad said. He added that the number captures voluntary and preliminary reporting and might not include the entire scope of impacts.
Local response efforts have already addressed most damages, especially when it comes to infrastructure, he said.
“We continue to work closely with our state and federal partners to better understand the scope of available assistance and to ensure our community has access to the resources needed to recover,” Bustad said.
Whatcom County
Whatcom County is glad to see the disaster declaration and is hopeful that federal aid will soon be on its way, said Amy Cloud, spokesperson with the county’s Division of Emergency Management, in an email.
Flooding engulfed entire cities in Whatcom County — including Sumas, Everson and Nooksack — and surrounding communities, she said. It also destroyed homes, undermined roadways and hit businesses, and many residents needed food, shelter, transportation, clothing and assistance replacing important lost documents.
No money has yet been allocated, she explained, adding that it’s still at the beginning of a process. Local nonprofits and governments have until May 7 to file a public assistance request for infrastructure, Cloud said.
Government infrastructure and businesses in Whatcom County faced more than $23 million in damages, The Bellingham Herald reported in February as officials were still working to assess the flooding’s financial toll. Nearly 1,250 homes in communities dotting the Nooksack River were flooded, per a January letter from Ferguson asking the president to issue a federal major disaster declaration.
U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, a Washington Democrat, called FEMA’s announcement “great news” in an April 11 news release.
“I have seen firsthand how hard these communities were hit, and I know how important this declaration is to getting people the help they need,” he said. “My office will continue working with local jurisdictions and Tribes to ensure everyone eligible for assistance is able to access the federal funds they need.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 12:10 PM with the headline "WA counties ‘grateful’ as Trump opens up federal funding after December flooding."
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