Oregon Senators Demand to Know Why FEMA Denied Federal Funds to Help With Snowstorm Damages

[TexasTowelie]

In a letter sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today, Oregon senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) join Rep. Greg Walden (R- Ore.) in pushing the agency for more transparency when it comes to granting federal disaster declarations.

In January, Gov. Kate Brown and Mayor Ted Wheeler declared Oregon and Portland to be in a state of emergency, in the midst of snowstorms which left schools closed, thousands without power and major roads and highways closed. Portland increased its fleet of snow plows by 20 percent, borrowing 11 plows from Seattle. Multnomah County shelters were 45 percent over capacity, at least four people living on the streets of Portland died, and the storm even caused buildings to collapse in Eastern Oregon.

It was the most snow Portland had seen in nearly four decades.

Brown requested a federal disaster declarations for ten Oregon counties, including Multnomah County, on March 9. Merkely, Wyden and Walden also wrote to FEMA in support of Brown's request.

Last week, FEMA rejected Brown's request for a federal disaster declaration, meaning that Oregon lawmakers and residents weren't able to seek federal aid to recover from the more than $17 million in damages from January's severe winter weather, which, according to the letter, come from damaged power lines, landslides, mudslides, agricultural losses, an increased need for emergency services, as well an enormous economic blow.

Read more: http://www.wweek.com/news/2017/05/19/oregon-senators-demand-to-know-why-fema-denied-oregon-federal-funds-to-help-with-snowstorm-damages/

[jesskirablue42]

1. Trump remembers that it's a blue state

and acts accordingly

[Doreen]

2. Isn't Portland a sanctuary city?

If it is there is your answer and simply because it a blue state.

Oh, this is kind of off subject but I just realized who trump reminds me of actually two people that he reminds me of. Nellie Oleson and Nancy Oleson. just saying.

[LWolf]

3. I'm going into debt

for repairs to my own snowstorm damages: roofs, broken pipes, etc. My mom has been waiting for 2 months for roofing contractors to repair the damage to her roof; they are all that backed up. We not only closed schools over and over for snow and road conditions, we closed them for roof repairs which took a long time, and one school gym roof collapsed. We made up days on holidays, parent conference days, teacher work days, and by working longer into the summer.

I can personally attest to the wide spread damages and the need for help.