Overview

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied Washington state's request for disaster relief funds following a November bomb cyclone that caused $34 million in damages and two fatalities.
• State officials, including Governor Bob Ferguson, confirmed that the application met all federal eligibility criteria but was deemed 'not warranted' without further explanation.
• The storm, classified as a bomb cyclone, caused extensive damage to public infrastructure, including highways and utilities, and led to widespread power outages.
• Washington has 30 days to appeal the decision, and officials plan to update damage estimates in their challenge to FEMA's ruling.
• The denial comes as the Trump administration considers overhauling or eliminating FEMA, reflecting broader debates over federal disaster response policies.