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 other appeal was for the declaration for the September 2025 Elk and Lee fires in Rio Blanco County.
The denial 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.
A press release from the state notes, “These federal decisions deny critical FEMA Public Assistance for impacted communities and Hazard Mitigation support statewide. Without federal assistance, these communities will have fewer resources to recover, they will have to make challenging decisions about how to balance expensive recovery costs with limited resources, will be at heightened risk of future disasters, and may not be able to perform the repairs to energy systems and river channels that would help them avoid future damage and disruption.
“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.
The 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.
“It is frustrating that, for the first time in 35 years, the state of Colorado has been denied federal assistance as part of a major disaster declaration request. Our damage assessments documented and showed that each of the disasters exceeded the federal thresholds for assistance. Our State Recovery Task Force will continue to work on alternatives to fill the gap, but providing substantial relief to the disaster survivors becomes much more difficult with this decision. I don’t want it to sound like we can just fill all the gaps — we can’t, but of course we will do our best to support them,” said Kevin Klein, director of the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Colorado U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper also issued a statement following the denial, stating, “Disasters are disasters, regardless of state lines or political parties. President Trump’s refusal to grant Major Disaster Declarations for the 2025 Lee and Elk Fires and the Southwest Colorado flooding is callous and leaves rural Coloradans, who urgently need support, vulnerable and footing the bill. Critical infrastructure remains unstable, costs continue to rise, and communities remain at risk. The President is solely responsible for this abdication of responsibility; the consequences of which will continue to be severe and long-lasting.”
“I’m extremely disappointed in learning of the denial,” Archuleta County Commissioner Warren Brown said, adding the decision is very impactful because it involves not only Archuleta County, but numerous counties and thousands of people.
He added the impacts of the decision will be felt for years to come since it could take years to afford to make all the repairs.
But, he added, the people of Archuleta County are resilient and rarely ask for much from the federal government.
“What we’re getting is what we’re used to receiving and that’s why we don’t ask,” he said.
“We are very disappointed and echo Senator Bennet’s comments regarding President Trump’s second denial of our community’s request for a Major Federal Disaster Declaration and the associated FEMA funding to help with flood recovery efforts,” James Dickhoff, development director for the Town of Pagosa Springs, wrote in an email to The SUN. “Neither denial letter provided a reason for the denial determination. Within Town limits, we estimated $6.5 million in damage caused by the October 2025 flood event. Fortunately, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) had funded approximately $3.7 million in Emergency Watershed Protection funding, and Colorado’s Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) awarded the Town up to $465,504 from the Disaster Emergency Fund (DEF). Town staff is seeking additional micro-grant opportunities to help fill in the almost $2 million shortfall. The Town is currently working on funded river recovery efforts through the remainder of 2026, with more work expected in 2027 pending grant funding opportunities.”
While federal assistance has been denied, the press release states, the state of Colorado invested more than $57.5 million in these and other disasters since July 2024 and “will continue working with local partners to support rebuilding and reduce long-term risks to communities across Colorado.”
A denial and an appeal
On, Nov. 12, 2025, Polis formally requested a major disaster declaration from the president and the FEMA to support ongoing recovery efforts in La Plata, Archuleta and Mineral counties following the record-breaking western Colorado flooding that occurred Oct. 10-14, 2025.
The declaration would unlock FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding to help communities recover from severe flooding, debris flows, infrastructure damage and long-term watershed impacts.
Trump and FEMA denied Colorado’s requests on Dec. 20, 2025, with the denial letter stating, “Based on our review of all of the information available, it has been determined that supplemental federal assistance under the Stafford Act is not warranted. Therefore, I must inform you that your request for a major disaster declaration is denied.”
On Jan. 16, Polis, along with Bennet and Hickenlooper, submitted appeals to President Donald Trump appealing Trump’s denials of Colorado’s two major disaster declaration requests for flooding in Western Colorado, as well as for the Elk and Lee fires.
Polis’ letter to Trump regarding the flooding, sent through FEMA’s acting regional manager for Region VIII, Katherine Fox, notes, “The State is appealing your denial of the request because the damages from the flooding clearly exceeded FEMA’s indicators for a Major Disaster Declaration.”
The letter further discusses the significant impacts of the flooding, the state’s effort to help and financial challenges.
In Archuleta County, it states, “the per capita indicator equates to more than $995 per person to repair damages to roads and other county infrastructure. The total annual road repair and maintenance budget for the County falls vastly short at approximately $7,000,000, when total costs exceed $13,292,000.”
The letter also discusses the flood impacts on the San Juan River and notes the river’s role as a “substantial economic driver” and potential impacts of not repairing the river.
“Seven parks were damaged by large amounts of debris and sediment covering river walkways,” it states. “Many public trails, which support the local tourism economy, were damaged and destroyed. In the Town of Pagosa Springs, several large rocks in the river were moved or damaged, creating hazards for anglers, recreational boaters, tubers, and swimmers. In addition, the fish habitat was destroyed. If the river is not repaired, there will be a substantial negative impact on visitation, the local economy, and local tax revenue, further hampering recovery efforts. Wetlands were also flooded, and a large amount of sediment was deposited, which raised the flood plain, putting additional homes at risk for future flooding. In other areas, the flood caused shallow waters that now threaten wildlife habitats.”
It further notes that leaving the riverways in their current states would have “significant ramifications” and that public assistance funds would provide the support needed to find solutions for rebuilding and reducing impacts ahead of additional rainstorms or spring runoff.
“This region needs significant help to protect its communities from risk and put mitigation measures in place to ensure it can withstand future storms,” it states.
In addition to the state’s appeal, letters of support from the town and county were addressed to Trump.
“Without federal assistance to proactively fix the rivers and control the channels, we will see recurring floods every year and resulting damage to the surrounding communities, businesses, and local economy,” the town’s and county’s letters state.
Both letters note the rural communities are “struggling to recover, rebuild, and take action to prevent further destructive flooding without federal aid. We respectfully ask you to approve the state’s major disaster declaration request, to help us rebuild and protect our constituents, our small businesses, and our rural economy.”
Too, Bennet led his colleagues — Hickenlooper, Colorado U.S. Reps. Jeff Hurd, Jeff Crank, Jason Crow, Lauren Boebert, Joe Neguse, Gabe Evans, Brittany Pettersen and Diana DeGette — in support of Polis’ appeal to Trump’s decision to deny major disaster declarations.
“The State’s appeal underscores a critical and urgent reality: without federal assistance to stabilize river channels and repair damaged infrastructure, these communities face a cycle of repeated flooding and recurring losses. Failure to address the underlying damage now will virtually guarantee continued destruction during future high-water events, increasing costs to taxpayers while placing residents, businesses, and local economies at ongoing risk. Federal assistance at this stage is not only necessary for recovery, it is essential to prevent foreseeable and preventable damage from disasters in the years ahead,” wrote the lawmakers.
In their letter, the lawmakers emphasize that both the fires and flooding meet the statutory and practical criteria for a major disaster declaration as well as FEMA’s administrative and legal threshold for federal assistance.
randi@pagosasun.com
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