Evers, Crowley Criticize Trump Admin Over Disaster Relief

County Executive David Crowley observes flood damage to Oak Leaf Trail in Wauwatosa. Photo taken Aug. 25, 2025 by Graham Kilmer.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has again denied further disaster relief for Milwaukee County and the state of Wisconsin.

In August last year, a once-in-1,000-years storm dropped 15 inches of rain on some areas of Milwaukee County during a period of 14 hours. Flooding caused widespread damage to private property and public infrastructure. In September, President Donald Trump issued a formal disaster declaration and FEMA approved relief for damaged private property, but a request for assistance to repair public infrastructure has been denied twice now.

In October, FEMA denied the state’s request for public assistance. Gov. Tony Evers‘ administration appealed the decision and on Feb. 7, FEMA denied it again.

“This most recent decision by the Trump administration is completely unsatisfactory,” Evers declared. “The Trump administration’s decision to reject our appeal — again — and without any explanation as to why Wisconsin’s request for FEMA assistance has once again been denied is ridiculous.”

FEMA previously verified approximately $26.5 million in public infrastructure damage eligible for federal relief. The agency had also paid out approximately $123 million in damage claims for private property as of October last year, which was far higher than the $39 million in damage the agency recorded during site investigations in the wake of the storm.

“Efforts to rebuild will cost tens of millions of taxpayer dollars that local communities will be on the hook for, and it’s really disappointing to see our federal leadership turn their backs on Wisconsin, our families, and our communities in our time of need,” Evers said.

Milwaukee County previously estimated the cost of public infrastructure damage rose above $30 million. The cash-strapped Milwaukee County Parks estimated there was at least $1 million in damage to county parks eligible for federal relief.

“Without federal assistance, the financial burden of these public infrastructure repairs falls to local governments to cover,” County Executive David Crowley said. “Communities rely on intergovernmental partnerships in times of crisis, and this decision by the Trump administration erodes that public trust.”

The county already struggles to keep up with infrastructure costs, with a five-year list of needs reaching an estimated $1 billion. In the fall last year, the county adopted its first budget in years with major cuts to public services, like transit. In the coming years, the government will likely be forced to make greater cuts to public services as a long-term, structural budget gap widens.

“To move forward, my administration will continue working with the state of Wisconsin, our municipalities and community partners to identify responsible funding solutions to rebuild our roads, bridges, parks and public buildings,” Crowley said. “Our residents should not be forced to shoulder the full cost of disasters beyond their control, and we will continue advocating for the resources our community deserves.”