The first major winter storm hit the Pacific Northwest December 14th through the 17th. It was bad here - my pipes froze for ten days and these storms laid down the first of the ice that is still in my driveway today. The skiing was great at Mt. Baker but the rest of Whatcom County was greatly encumbered.
For all that we had here, Oregon was much harder hit with flooding and severe storm damage.
From today's FEMA Website:
President Trump Declares Major Disaster for Oregon
Release date: January 25, 2017
Release Number: HQ-17-004
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Oregon to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the area affected by a severe storm and flooding during the period of December 14-17, 2016.
Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by a severe storm and flooding in Josephine and Lane counties.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
This should have been declared within the first week after the storm abated, not over one month later. The last line about "available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures" is very good as this allows for immediate funding for infrastructure repair and they will figure out how to pay for it later. Stabilizing highways against earth movement, checking bridges, power lines, etc... This way, things are beefed up in the event another storm comes along.
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