Transportation, Infrastructure Chair DeFazio Leads Oregon Delegation in Urging FEMA to Increase Federal Cost Share for Wildfire Disaster Costs

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Oct. 2:

Rep. Peter DeFazio, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, today led Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Greg Walden, Kurt Schrader and Suzanne Bonamici in urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency to increase the Federal cost share for debris removal costs related to the recent wildfires in Oregon to 100 percent.

Typically, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments pick up 25 percent of the costs of FEMA assistance. However, given the scope and severity of the damage caused by September's wildfires--combined with the financial stress state and local governments are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic--the lawmakers are urging FEMA to cover all the costs associated with debris removal for the disaster. FEMA has previously authorized limited 100 percent Federal share adjustments in 22 disasters under the Trump Administration.

In the letter to FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor, the lawmakers write,

"We ask you to take into account the size and scale of this disaster as well as the backdrop upon which this disaster fell. In the span of a few short days, fires burned an area the size of the State of Rhode Island. As a result, thousands of our fellow Oregonians have been displaced, and countless businesses have been lost. Furthermore, the State and local governments continue to respond to and recover from four additional Presidentially-declared disasters since May 2019, including three counties which are covered under both Major Disaster Declarations from floods and the wildfire disaster last month...Oregon and her citizens are suffering under the strain of enormous calamity."

Last week, Rep. DeFazio introduced the FEMA Assistance Relief Act, which would adjust the federal cost share of certain disaster assistance provided by FEMA under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) to not less than 90 percent Federal for disasters declared in calendar year 2020 and to 100 percent for all COVID-19 related Emergency and Major Disaster declarations. Senator Merkley has introduced companion legislation in the Senate. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, chaired by Rep. DeFazio, considered the bill this week and similar language was also included in the recent COVID relief package introduced this week.

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October 1, 2020

To: The Honorable Peter Gaynor, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20472

Dear Administrator Gaynor:

Thank you for accepting our invitation to visit Oregon to meet with local officials and witness the devastation wildfires have wrought upon our state. In advance of your visit this weekend, we ask your immediate approval of an increased Federal cost share as requested for both the State's Sept. 14, 2020 request for a Major Disaster Declaration and the Sept. 29, 2020 request for Category A (debris removal). The State of Oregon and local communities have exhausted their local funding sources and face an enormous financial burden in responding to and recovering from this disaster.

Based on ongoing Preliminary Damage Assessments, the State of Oregon predicts that debris removal alone will cost in excess of $622 million and total disaster costs will exceed $1 billion. The damage assessment to-date exceeds $140 per capita, well in excess of the guidance for consideration of an increased Federal share under 44 CFR 206.47. Given the large areas devastated by the unprecedented series of the fires that began last month and inordinately high costs of clean-up and recovery, we support the State's request for this assistance to be granted at 100% Federal share. Such a cost share adjustment is warranted by previous Agency determinations which have authorized a 100% Federal share in 22 disasters under this Administration and a minimum 90% Federal share in 23 additional disasters, including six wildfires. This is in keeping with FEMA's long record of approving an increased cost share in the face of serious disasters, authorizing a minimum 90% Federal share in disasters on 173 occasions since 2004, 98 of which received a 100% Federal share.

In considering this request, we ask you to take into account the size and scale of this disaster as well as the backdrop upon which this disaster fell. In the span of a few short days, fires burned an area the size of the State of Rhode Island. As a result, thousands of our fellow Oregonians have been displaced, and countless businesses have been lost. Furthermore, the State and local governments continue to respond to and recover from four additional Presidentially-declared disasters since May 2019, including three counties which are covered under both Major Disaster Declarations from floods and the wildfire disaster last month.

As you will undoubtedly see this weekend, Oregon and her citizens are suffering under the strain of enormous calamity. State and local officials are working valiantly with their Federal partners to respond and recover as quickly and efficiently as possible. We are grateful for this partnership and respectfully request you further extend that partnership by increasing the Federal share for this disaster.

See signatories here: https://defazio.house.gov/sites/defazio.house.gov/files/2020-10-01%20OR%20Delegation%20Letter%20to%20Administrator%20Gaynor%20on%20Oregon%20Visit.pdf