by Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard
January 21, 2026
Gov. Bob Ferguson on Wednesday requested the Trump administration approve a major disaster declaration to open up federal funding in response to the historic flooding that beset the state last month.
Washington state officials will next await word from President Donald Trump, who has declined to approve such declarations in some cases, especially in Democrat-led states. Ferguson and Trump clashed on the state’s request related to the 2024 bomb cyclone. Trump previously approved a federal emergency declaration, allowing federal resources to help during the flooding in December.
Ferguson requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency open up over $21 million in federal assistance to help individuals affected by the flooding. The money is meant to help repair their homes or help them find stable housing, but it won’t make them whole, the governor cautioned.
An ask for federal money for infrastructure repairs and work to prepare for future storms will come from the state before Feb. 18, as it’s still unclear exactly how much damage was done.
The state Department of Transportation recently told lawmakers that the heavy flooding inflicted at least $40 million to $50 million of damage on the state’s highways.
The record-breaking flooding left over 100,000 Washingtonians under evacuation orders and nearly 4,000 homes damaged, according to the governor. Almost 400 people needed to be rescued. One person died. Thirty-three rivers reached flood stage.
“This historic disaster is of such severity and magnitude that effective recovery exceeds the capability of the state and local governments in impacted areas, requiring supplemental federal assistance to recover from this disaster,” Ferguson wrote in his letter to Trump.
Ferguson expects the state’s congressional delegation and leaders of the Democratic and Republican caucuses in both chambers of the Legislature to send letters supporting his request.
The state has provided nearly $1 million in state aid to roughly 2,600 households, according to the governor’s office.
The request for federal aid for individuals, which stretches over 100 pages, is focused on Chelan, Grays Harbor, King, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties, as well as many tribal nations.
If Trump approves of Ferguson’s plea, the next step for residents will be applying for funding from FEMA. It would also allow homeowners, renters, business owners and nonprofits to apply for low-interest loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
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