FEMA says funding debate didn't affect response to Hawaii

“State and local officials are leading response operations on the ground in Hawaii, and efforts are proceeding without delay,” the FEMA representative told The Center Square. “Currently, FEMA has 53 staff deployed to monitor and support flooding operations, with no personnel being held back. Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments began yesterday in coordination with state and federal partners.”

The response comes amid a 40-day partial government shutdown that has left the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, unfunded. The shutdown has also meant that Transportation Security Administration agents across the country have been working without pay, leading agents to call in sick and creating lines lasting hours at airports. TSA agents were last paid on Feb. 14.

While the shutdown continues, Hawaii is still early in its recovery from back-to-back storms with flood watches across large swaths of the big island of Hawaii and Maui, according to the National Weather Service. Storms caused abnormal flooding and $1 billion in damages, according to the state government.

The floods were the worst since 2004, according to the government, with the most hard-hit areas receiving up to 4 feet of rain during the first week of the storm.

“The scale of damage we are seeing – from washed-out highways to overwhelmed water systems – makes clear that federal partnership is essential,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a Tuesday press release, requesting a disaster declaration from President Donald Trump. “We are doing everything we can at the state and county level, but this is exactly the type of event where FEMA support is critical.”

FEMA acknowledged the Democratic governor's request for disaster declaration and said it was in process.

Officials have been critical of FEMA's responses to past disasters.

One hundred people died as more than 2,200 structures were destroyed and $5.5 billion in damages were caused by the state’s last major, natural disaster – an August 2023 wildfire in Maui. Today, nearly three years later, FEMA approved $5.7 million to help.

The delay in the funding was criticized by U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, D-Hawaii,  earlier this month, who mentioned former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Noem required personal sign-off on all relief spending over $100,000, according to the New York Times.

“Communities across our country are bearing the consequences of Kristi Noem’s failures as Secretary,” Kim said in a statement. “For an administration that touts the importance of efficiency, her needless red tape is proven to have left vulnerable communities without crucial funding when they needed it most.” 

Hawaii’s political leaders hope the federal response is more immediate for the state’s latest natural disaster. The request includes up to 90% of eligible recovery costs to be footed by the federal government.

Meanwhile, across the ocean in the U.S. Southwest, the heat wave that brought in region-wide all-time daily highs last week continued to rock several states. In Nevada, expected highs were 20 degrees above the normal highs for this time of year, reaching into the mid-90s for Las Vegas.

Highs into the low 100s kept residents indoors this week in Phoenix and across Arizona. Further west in California, Los Angeles felt above-average highs into the mid-80s this week, with a heat advisory in effect Tuesday along the state's Central Coast by the National Weather Service. 

In the Colorado Rockies, Denver continued to feel day-to-day record highs after last week’s heat wave. Wednesday was forecasted to reach the high-80s, which would set an all-time high for March in the Mile High City. Fire danger also remained high in the state fueled by the unseasonal heat, high winds and a dry winter. By Monday night, crews were beginning to contain the 24 Fire, which started last week and grew to more than 7,300 acres south of Colorado Springs.