On Monday, April 13, the state of Colorado was notified that the federal government denied Colorado’s two appeals for major disaster declarations, including one for the October 2025 flooding in Archuleta, La Plata and Mineral counties.
The letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), dated April 10, states, “After a thorough review of all the information contained in the initial request and appeal, we reaffirm the determination that supplemental federal assistance under the Stafford Act is not warranted. Therefore, I must inform you that your appeal for a major disaster declaration is denied.”
The letter is signed by Karen S. Evans, senior official performing the duties of the administrator.
“This is incredibly disappointing for Coloradans. Colorado communities have done everything right — responding quickly, documenting the damage, and working in good faith with federal partners — only for the Trump administration to deny funding to help Colorado communities recover. These disasters caused real damage to homes, infrastructure, and local economies, and Coloradans should not be left to shoulder these costs alone. We will continue supporting impacted communities and exploring every available path forward, but the federal government must be a reliable partner in disaster recovery,” said Gov. Jared Polis.
A press release from the state notes the flooding in Southwest Colorado caused more than $13 million in jointly verified damages to infrastructure, including the destruction of over 60 miles of road, major impacts to water and wastewater systems, and long-term risks to communities along the San Juan River basin.
For more, see Thursday's issue of The SUN.
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