News of the Day May 26, 2026
Governor Evers Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration in Response to April Storms and Flooding

Last Friday, Governor Tony Evers announced he has formally requested a disaster declaration from President Donald J. Trump in response to severe storms and flooding in April that caused widespread destruction throughout the state of Wisconsin.

The governor’s request comes as, in April, he announced his request for FEMA to assist the state in conducting joint preliminary damage assessments. After assessments of more than 1,570 residential properties, Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) and FEMA determined that the total damage costs of those properties were estimated at more than $9.8 million. The joint preliminary damage assessment for Public Assistance found more than $17.6 million in public sector damage.

This request includes the following counties for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program: Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Manitowoc, Marathon, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Racine, Rock, Sauk, Vernon, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, and Winnebago counties. The Oneida Nation is also included in this request.

The following counties were requested to receive eligible funding through FEMA’s Public Assistance program: Bayfield, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kewanee, Manitowoc, Marathon, Outagamie, Racine, Rock, Sauk, Vernon, and Waupaca counties. The Oneida Nation is included in this request as well.

The joint preliminary damage assessments did not need to review damage at every home in the affected counties. These assessments provided a snapshot of the damage caused by the storm. It is important to note that FEMA does not rely on fixed monetary or numerical thresholds as the sole determining factor for recommending a disaster declaration. Instead, the agency evaluates a wide range of factors to assess the severity and magnitude of the event and its impact on the affected communities. The ultimate decision to approve or deny the request will rest with the president. There is no strict legal timeline for a response to a state’s request for federal assistance.