Federal grants for flood work sat on hold as storms inundated Washington state

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 -Across Washington state, communities are battling record‑breaking floods and storm damage at a time when critical federal flood mitigation grants have stalled just as they’re needed most. 

State officials report that major grant programs designed to pay for projects like levee repairs, floodplain management, and protective infrastructure have been delayed or held up by federal administrative processes, leaving local mitigation work in limbo while torrential rains inundate towns and critical waterways. 

This pause in funding has coincided with severe flooding tied to a historic atmospheric river event, which has overwhelmed riverbanks, closed highways, and forced evacuations in numerous counties.

The timing couldn’t be worse: as storms pound Western Washington and emergency response shifts into high gear, the absence of streamlined federal grant funding is slowing long‑term recovery planning. State and local governments are scrambling to fill gaps that these federally supported projects would have addressed — work that would reduce future flood damage and protect vulnerable infrastructure. 

Typically, these grants help communities prepare for and respond to disasters by financing hazard mitigation plans, levee upgrades, and resilient infrastructure investments. But with funding on hold, officials warn that the current crisis could deepen and recovery costs could skyrocket if mitigation efforts are delayed.

While Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has mobilized state emergency funds and amended emergency declarations to provide immediate relief for impacted residents, the larger question of sustained financial support remains urgent. 

Without timely release of federal grants and an efficient pathway to those funds, local municipalities may face difficult choices in rebuilding and strengthening defenses against future storms. For residents and business owners caught in the wake of this disaster, the delays in federal mitigation funding aren’t just a bureaucratic hiccup — they’re a real obstacle to resilience and recovery.