WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. – U.S. Representative Rick Larsen had a chance to tour flood-ravaged communities across Whatcom County over the weekend.
KOMO News reports Larsen visited the Marietta neighborhood Saturday, December 4th, which was hit hard by the floods.
He says that what he saw marked a tough start to the Northwest flood season.
“The number one need is to get people back in homes they can inhabit and get the damage assessments done so we know what the clear damage is,” said Larsen.
Larsen also addressed residents’ frustrations in getting federal aid to help them recover.
“The County reports to the state. The State reports to FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” said Larsen. “There will be some sort of assessment but that may not be a final federal assessment until the end of late January.”
He added that money has been allocated from the new federal infrastructure law to help homeowners assess the damage done to their properties.