Bennet Leads Full Colorado Delegation to Support Appeals of President Trump’s Denial of Major Disaster Declarations for Historic Fires and Flooding

Jan 21, 2026| Press Releases

Denver - Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet led his colleagues Colorado U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and Colorado U.S. Representatives Jeff Hurd, Jeff Crank, Jason Crow, Lauren Boebert, Joe Neguse, Gabe Evans, Brittany Pettersen, and Diana DeGette in support of Governor Jared Polis' appeal to President Donald Trump's decision to deny Major Disaster Declarations for the Lee and Elk Fires in August 2025 and the Southwest Colorado flooding in October 2025.

"The State's appeal underscores a critical and urgent reality: without federal assistance to stabilize river channels and repair damaged infrastructure, these communities face a cycle of repeated flooding and recurring losses. Failure to address the underlying damage now will virtually guarantee continued destruction during future high-water events, increasing costs to taxpayers while placing residents, businesses, and local economies at ongoing risk. Federal assistance at this stage is not only necessary for recovery, it is essential to prevent foreseeable and preventable damage from disasters in the years ahead," wrote the lawmakers.

The Lee and Elk Fires burned for 27 days in August 2025 and affected more than 150,000 acres. These fires caused widespread destruction to homes, rangeland, transportation infrastructure, and critical energy infrastructure, with FEMA validations of more than $27 million in damages.

In October 2025, La Plata, Archuleta, and Mineral Counties' record-breaking rainfall caused catastrophic flooding, debris flows, and channel instability. Many homes, businesses, wastewater systems, roads, and drinking water infrastructure sustained extensive damage, with FEMA confirming more than $13.8 million in damages.

In their letter, the lawmakers emphasize that both the Lee and Elk Fires and flooding in Southwest Colorado meet the statutory and practical criteria for a Major Disaster Declaration as well as FEMA's administrative and legal threshold for federal assistance. They demand urgent action in the face of President Trump's decision to deny the people of Western Colorado the Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation programs that are indispensable to recovery, mitigation, and long-term resilience. The consequences of continued denial will be severe, long-lasting, and far more costly if left unaddressed.

"We respectfully urge you to reconsider your initial denials and approve Governor Polis's appeals for Major Disaster Declarations for the Lee and Elk Fires and the Southwest Colorado flooding. Doing so will help protect communities, reduce future federal and local costs, and ensure that rural Coloradans are not left to shoulder the financial burden of disaster recovery alone," concluded the lawmakers.

The lawmakers previously sent letters in support of Governor Polis' initial requests for Major Disaster Declarations for the Lee and Elk Fires and Southwest Colorado flooding. The letters can be read HERE and HERE.

The full text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Mr. President:

We write in strong support of Governor Jared Polis's appeals of the Administration's recent denials of two requests for Presidential Major Disaster Declarations in Colorado: (1) the Lee and Elk Fires in Rio Blanco County, and (2) the historic flooding that impacted La Plata, Archuleta, and Mineral Counties in Southwest Colorado. Each event independently meets the statutory and practical criteria for a Major Disaster Declaration, and the consequences of continued denial will be severe, long-lasting, and far more costly if left unaddressed. Disaster funds are critical for the safety and well-being of some of Colorado's most rural residents.

Lee and Elk Fires - Rio Blanco County

The Lee and Elk Fires burned more than 150,000 acres between August 2 and August 29, 2025, causing widespread destruction to homes, rangeland, transportation infrastructure, and critical energy infrastructure. FEMA has validated more than $27 million in damages, approximately $4,000 per resident of rural Rio Blanco County.

Due to damage sustained during the fires, oil and gas operators in Rio Blanco County are currently unable to operate at full capacity and are relying on a highly limited contingency system - effectively a "backup of the backup" transmission configuration. This leaves production vulnerable to further disruption and prevents the region from reaching its normal output levels, with ripple effects for local employment, state and local tax revenue, and national energy supply.

Further delay of disaster assistance places the financial burden of repairing damaged electric transmission infrastructure directly on local utility customers. White River Electric Association has a limited ability to absorb these extraordinary disaster-related costs, and ratepayers in this rural community may face significant price increases to cover repairs that would otherwise be eligible for federal Public Assistance. These compounding impacts will result in reduced energy production and higher electricity costs in the region, and pose a serious threat to the long-term economic stability of Rio Blanco County.

Southwest Colorado Flooding - La Plata, Archuleta, and Mineral Counties

From October 11 through October 14, 2025, record-breaking rainfall caused catastrophic flooding, debris flows, and channel instability throughout Southwest Colorado. FEMA has already validated more than $13.8 million in eligible damages, with additional losses still being identified. Homes, businesses, wastewater systems, roads, and drinking water infrastructure sustained extensive damage.

The State's appeal underscores a critical and urgent reality: without federal assistance to stabilize river channels and repair damaged infrastructure, these communities face a cycle of repeated flooding and recurring losses. Failure to address the underlying damage now will virtually guarantee continued destruction during future high-water events, increasing costs to taxpayers while placing residents, businesses, and local economies at ongoing risk. Federal assistance at this stage is not only necessary for recovery, it is essential to prevent foreseeable and preventable damage from disasters in the years ahead.

A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for each of these events would unlock Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation programs that are indispensable to recovery, mitigation, and long-term resilience. Both disasters meet FEMA's administrative threshold for federal assistance and demand urgent action.

We respectfully urge you to reconsider your initial denials and approve Governor Polis's appeals for Major Disaster Declarations for the Lee and Elk Fires and the Southwest Colorado flooding. Doing so will help protect communities, reduce future federal and local costs, and ensure that rural Coloradans are not left to shoulder the financial burden of disaster recovery alone.

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