MILWAUKEE – County Executive David Crowley released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump denying the State of Wisconsin’s request for FEMA Public Assistance:
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
“For months, Milwaukee County has worked to recover from the extreme storms and historic flooding that hit our community in August. Following the approval of our Individual Assistance request, FEMA has distributed over $123 million in financial assistance to Milwaukee County residents so they can repair their homes and take a major step toward normalcy. I’ve commended the Trump administration for delivering this federal funding to our residents and businesses – because there is no room for politics in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
“But the cost to repair the damage to our public assets throughout Eastern Wisconsin – like roads, parks, and public buildings – still looms over our impacted counties and municipalities. Simply put, federal funding is needed to afford the repairs to the public infrastructure that was damaged from the floods so we can continue providing safe infrastructure for our community.
“The decision from the Trump administration to deny the State’s request for Public Assistance is extremely disappointing. The preliminary damage assessment showed that the damage sustained throughout all six counties is more than substantial. Without this federal assistance, Milwaukee County is left footing the bill to repair an assessed $22 million in public infrastructure. As the State of Wisconsin begins the process to appeal this denial, I strongly urge President Trump to approve funding for FEMA Public Assistance so we can afford to rebuild our roads, bridges, parks, and public infrastructure.”
Any questions regarding this decision can be directed to FEMA at FEMA-Press-Office@fema.dhs.gov.