Wisconsin seeks federal disaster declaration

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers asked President Donald Trump on May 22 for a presidential disaster declaration after April storms and flooding caused more than $27 million in damage across the state. Evers said in a letter that hail, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding caused “widespread destruction” in communities across Wisconsin and the Oneida Nation. The request follows joint damage assessments by Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Evers said the losses were beyond what local governments could handle on their own. ### What exactly is Wisconsin asking Washington to approve? A presidential disaster declaration would open the door to federal aid after a governor formally requests it from the White House through FEMA. FEMA says the request form includes the statutory and regulatory requirements for declaration requests and must be signed by the governor or a designee. Wisconsin has not yet appeared on FEMA’s current list of newly declared 2026 disasters tied to this April storm event. (wpr.org) May 22 is the date Evers sent the request, according to Wisconsin Public Radio, which reported on the letter. Evers wrote that families had lost “homes, businesses, and livelihoods” and said federal support was needed to help communities rebuild and recover. ### How large was the damage estimate? More than $27 million is the combined damage total cited in Evers’ request. (fema.gov) Wisconsin Public Radio reported that joint assessments found about $9.8 million in damage to more than 1,570 residential properties in 19 counties and one tribal nation, plus nearly $17.7 million in public-sector damage in 14 counties and one tribal nation. (wpr.org) Nineteen counties and the Oneida Nation were included in the residential tally. Fourteen counties and one tribal nation were included in the public-sector tally. The assessments were conducted by Wisconsin Emergency Management and FEMA to provide what WPR described as a snapshot of the losses caused by the storms. ### When did the storms begin, and what had the state already done? (wpr.org) April 15 is when Evers signed Executive Order 289 declaring a statewide emergency in response to flooding and severe weather impacts. That order said severe storms and record rainfall had begun on April 13 and were expected to continue that week, causing flooding, structural damage, evacuations and power outages across Wisconsin. (wpr.org) Executive Order 289 also directed state agencies to assist with response and recovery and called elements of the Wisconsin National Guard to state active duty as needed. The order said fire services, law enforcement, public works crews, utilities, volunteer groups and other responders had already been deployed. ### Which communities have described the damage publicly? (docs.legis.wisconsin.gov) Janesville officials were among the local leaders cited in the reporting on Evers’ request. City Manager Kevin Lahner told WPR the city experienced what officials estimated was “in excess of a 500-year-flood event,” with water rising quickly, overwhelming systems and then receding quickly. Lahner said Janesville alone estimated about $10 million in damage to public infrastructure. (docs.legis.wisconsin.gov) This week, Evers said he visited storm-damaged communities and saw both “the devastation and destruction these storms left behind” and “the strength and resilience of Wisconsinites across the state.” His office has framed the federal request as the next step in shifting from emergency response to rebuilding. ### Where would the next official update appear? (wpr.org) FEMA’s disaster declarations page is the federal government’s public record of whether a request is approved. FEMA’s Wisconsin page also lists declared disasters affecting the state, including the most recent Wisconsin major disaster declaration from September 2025 for severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and mudslides. Any decision on Evers’ May 22 request would be reflected in those FEMA records after the agency and the White House complete their review. (wpr.org) Wisconsin Emergency Management and local governments would then handle the next stage of documenting eligible costs and recovery needs. (fema.gov 1) (fema.gov 2)