Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: Washington

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Updated March 6, 2017
Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: Washington
Overview
Local Impacts
The Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is managed by the Federal
From FY2000 to FY2015, 39 county governments and four
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is the
tribal governments in Washington received aid under major
primary source of federal assistance following a major
disaster declarations. Snohomish County received aid for
disaster declaration. The authority to declare a major
the highest number of declarations during this period, with
disaster is provided to the President under the Robert T.
10.
Stafford Emergency Relief and Disaster Assistance Act
(P.L. 93-288).
Figure 1. DRF Actual and Projected Obligations for
Declared Major Disasters in Washington, by Fiscal

The information below includes only DRF funding
Year
provided to Washington as a result of assistance associated
Figures are in millions of dol ars, truncated. The number of
with a major disaster declaration. This information does not
declarations per year is in parentheses.
include other assistance provided through the DRF or
disaster assistance provided by other federal sources, such
as Small Business Administration disaster loans.
FEMA administers disaster relief through regional offices
around the country. Washington is part of Region X,
headquartered in Bothell, WA.
Major Disaster Declarations: FY2000-
FY2015
A total of 13 major disaster declarations were made in the
state of Washington between FY2000 and FY2015. During
that time, there were also five requests for major disaster
declarations that were denied. The approved declarations
led to $708 million in actual and projected federal
obligations from the DRF. Actual and projected obligations
are used throughout this In Focus to account for the total
amount of federal assistance ultimately obligated. This
funding does not include the assistance that was provided
directly by the state, either as a cost-share for federal
assistance or through the state’s own authorities and
programs.
There was a high level of variation in the amount of actual
and projected funding obligated for major disasters each
year, with more than $184 million in actual and projected

obligations for disasters in FY2001 alone. Figure 1
Source: CRS analysis of FEMA DRF obligations data as of December
displays the actual and projected obligations to Washington
2015.
each fiscal year. The highest number of declarations in a
Notes: Actual and projected obligations are recorded in the fiscal
single year was two, which occurred in FY2007, FY2009,
year in which the major disaster was declared. Only obligations from
FY2012, and FY2014.
the FEMA DRF are included. Please consult the “Additional
Most Costly Declarations
Resources” section for information on other federal assistance
programs.
The declaration associated with the largest actual and
projected obligations from the DRF to the state of
Types of Assistance Provided for Major
Washington was for an earthquake in FY2001. This
Disasters
declaration resulted in more than $184 million in actual and
A major disaster declaration can authorize funding for
projected obligations to Washington from the DRF.
different purposes, depending on the needs of the state.
These purposes include:
The next two most costly declarations were for severe
storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides in FY2008 and
Public Assistance, which is used by tribal, state, or local
a severe winter storm, landslides, mudslides, and flooding
governments, or certain private nonprofit organizations
in FY2009.
to provide emergency protective services, conduct
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Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: Washington
debris removal operations, and repair or replace
Assistance Grants. The funding associated with these types
damaged public infrastructure;
of assistance typically results in lower obligation levels than
assistance provided as a result of major disaster
Individual Assistance, which provides direct aid to
declarations, although there is significant variation across
impacted households;
incidents.
Hazard Mitigation Assistance, which funds mitigation
Emergency Declarations are often made at the time a
and resiliency projects and programs, typically across
threat is recognized in order to assist tribal, state, and
the entire state;
local efforts prior to an incident.
FEMA administrative costs associated with each disaster  Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) provide
declaration; and
aid for the control, management, and mitigation of fires.
Mission Assignment, which tasks and reimburses other
FEMA Assistance Not Funded Through
federal entities that provide direct disaster assistance.
the DRF: National Flood Insurance
Program
The decision concerning which types of assistance to
Floods represent a majority of all major disaster
provide is made either when the major disaster is declared
declarations nationwide. One of the primary sources of
or when the declaration is amended. For many major
assistance for flooding events is the National Flood
disasters, all of the assistance types outlined above are
Insurance Program (NFIP), which is not funded through the
authorized. For others, some assistance types are not
DRF. For more information on the NFIP, please refer to
authorized. Figure 2 compares the actual and projected
CRS Report R44593, Introduction to FEMA’s National
obligations for different types of assistance provided to
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Washington as a result of a major disaster declaration from
FY2000 to FY2015.
Additional Resources
Many existing CRS products address issues related to the
Figure 2. DRF Assistance for Washington, by Type
DRF, the disaster declaration process, and types of DRF
(FY2000-FY2015)
assistance. Below is a list of several of these resources:
 CRS Report R41981, Congressional Primer on
Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies
 CRS Report R43519, Natural Disasters and Hazards:
CRS Experts
 CRS Report R43784, FEMA’s Disaster Declaration
Process: A Primer
 CRS Report R43537, FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund:
Overview and Selected Issues
 CRS Report R44619, FEMA Disaster Housing: The
Individuals and Households Program—Implementation
and Potential Issues for Congress

 CRS Report R43990, FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant
Program: Background and Considerations for Congress
CRS Experts
FEMA Disaster Assistance:


Source: CRS analysis of FEMA DRF obligation data as of December
Bruce R. Lindsay
2015.
Jared T. Brown
Shawn Reese
Note: The specific assistance within each of the identified types may
have changed in the period FY2000 to FY2015.
National Flood Insurance Program:
Other FEMA Assistance Funded
Diane P. Horn
Through the DRF
In addition to the major disaster assistance described above,
Bruce R. Lindsay, Analyst in American National
there are other forms of assistance that are funded through
Government
the DRF. These include assistance associated with
IF10105
Emergency Declarations and with Fire Management

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Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: Washington



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