WASHINGTON – Gov. Wes Moore still awaits a response from the Trump administration after appealing the federal government’s decision to deny emergency aid for floods that ravaged parts of Western Maryland in May.
Maryland’s first request for federal assistance was rejected on July 22 in a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The estimated cost of damage was $15.8 million in July. A reassessment by the state in late August increased the damage estimate to $33.7 million, according to Moore.
“Based on our review of all the information available, it has been determined that supplemental federal assistance under the Stafford Act is not warranted,” FEMA said in its letter.
“On August 19, Maryland appealed the federal government’s decision to deny the request for a major disaster declaration for Western Maryland following the historic flooding event in May,” David Turner, Moore’s communications director, said in an email to Capital News Service. “There is no required deadline for an appeal to be reviewed, approved, or denied by the President.”
Moore found the administration’s denial personal and political.
“I think this decision was petty, was partisan, was punishing,” Moore said in an interview with WUSA-TV on July 30.
The day before Maryland was denied, West Virginia received $10 million in funding for a comparable flood, according to Moore. The governor said he believes the administration is targeting states that did not vote for Donald Trump in the 2025 election.
The mid-May flash floods hit portions of Allegany and Garrett counties in Western Maryland. Westernport in the Georges Creek Valley in Allegany County was particularly hard-hit.
The initial cost of damage ranged anywhere from $78 billion to $85 billion, but deducting what insurance covers, the amount decreased, according to Sen. Mike McKay, a Republican whose district includes Allegany, Garrett and Washington Counties.
“The importance of that is that the state and FEMA agree that is the dollar amount that should be eligible,” McKay said.
The usual timeline to respond to an appeal is 30 to 45 days, according to McKay. He is optimistic that Moore will hear back from FEMA soon with good news.
“A couple of years ago, we had two floods in Ellicott City, two years apart from each other. It’s to be noted that both of those applications for FEMA were denied, and it wasn’t until the appeal that those boxes were checked and they were able to access the funds,” McKay said.
In the past, federal aid has been granted when the cost of the damages exceeded the county and state thresholds, according to Moore’s office. For Allegany County, the threshold is $321,460; for the state, it is $11,674,953.
Maryland’s reported damages are three times greater than FEMA’s threshold for federal disaster aid.
“The reality is, six, eight months from now, we still need some assistance. That flooding dollars, regardless of the politics and what we can afford in the end, we need it.” McKay said.
On May 14, around 150 students and 50 faculty members were evacuated by rescue boats from Westernport Elementary School. Although there were no casualties, the town is still reeling from the massive flood.
An ongoing sewage leak prompted a safety advisory that is expected to remain in place in Allegany County for several months. Raw sewage is continuing to enter waterways. The danger levels vary depending on environmental factors, according to the Allegany County flood recovery website.
“Even if the numbers on a given test are below the threshold, the issue has not yet been fixed, and the water remains unsafe,” the website states.
McKay said many homes had their hot water tanks washed out, and families need help funding the costly purchase and installation of new tanks. Looking ahead to the winter, he said he worries about people who need working furnaces but cannot afford replacements.
While the state continues to wait for a federal response, McKay is working with Moore in the Georges Creek Task Force 2025 to draft a report outlining prevention measures for future flooding.
Beyond federal assistance, McKay said he wants to change policy to give local officials more authority to manage debris and dredging in Georges Creek.
“What I’d like to possibly see is adhering to the rules and regulations of the state of Maryland, but maybe giving the local county commissioners the ability to be the head umpire to call balls and strikes,” McKay said.
If the FEMA appeal is denied, McKay said he wants the state to consider using Maryland’s rainy day fund for flood relief, arguing that the recent flood fits the fund’s purpose.
Turner said Moore “continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with Marylanders in Allegany and Garrett Counties who are still recovering from an unthinkable catastrophe. They are calling on us to support them in this hour of need, and that is exactly what we will continue to do,” Turner said.