(WFRV) – On Friday, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced that he will file an appeal following the Trump administration’s denial of the state’s federal disaster request after severe storms and flooding damaged numerous counties in August.
The application was for Public Assistance for Door, Grant, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties; however, the Trump administration stated that the assistance program was not ‘warranted.’
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In response, Gov. Evers announced that he will be filing an appeal to ensure the affected communities receive the support they need to rebuild, recover, and address the more than $26.5 million in disaster costs.
Denying federal assistance doesn’t just delay recovery, it sends a message to our communities that they are on their own, and that the Trump Administration doesn’t think over $26 million in damages to public infrastructure is worthy of their help. I couldn’t disagree more. The federal government should not expect our communities to go through this alone, and we are going to fight tooth and nail to ensure they get every possible resource to rebuild and recover. We are hopeful that the Trump Administration will reconsider this decision, so we can make sure folks have the resources and support they need.
Gov. Tony Evers
Wisconsin has 30 days from the date of the denial letter to send its appeal.
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The Public Assistance program provides supplemental grants to state, local, and tribal governments as well as certain types of private nonprofits to recover from major disasters or emergencies. The grants may provide funding for:
- Restoration of damaged public buildings and equipment, such as public schools, hospitals, and facilities providing community services;
- Restoration of roads and bridges;
- Debris removal from obstructed public roadways and infrastructure; and
- Repair of damaged or impacted public utilities and water system.
Gov. Evers’ full release can be viewed here.
