September 8, 2025 3: 30 a.m. 

On Friday, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle welcomed the approval of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to devastating flooding and other devastating weather-related events that severely impacted Coos, Curry and Douglas counties in March.

A joint release said the wide-ranging weather between March 13 and March 20, triggered several incidents from the south coast to eastern Oregon, as warm rains led to snowmelt that contributed to severe runoff and erosion. Three rivers reached major flood levels, and wind gusts of over 45 miles per hour caused power outages and blocked roads.

To help impacted communities recover from this disaster, the Oregon lawmakers wrote a letter to the White House in support of the Governor’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration. President Trump granted her request for Public Assistance for Coos, Curry, and Douglas counties.

The Oregon lawmakers said, “The impacts the severe flooding had on both the physical and social infrastructure in Southern Oregon have been devastating. We are grateful the President saw the urgency and immense need of the Governor’s request for federal aid in Coos, Curry, and Douglas counties”.

The release said the declaration now unlocks federal funding from FEMA for state, Tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis to address damage sustained from flooding, landslides, mudslides, and other impacts during the storms.

The lawmakers request for FEMA to provide support to eligible individuals and households in the three counties through the Individual Assistance program remains under review. Additionally, the White House is still weighing the lawmakers’ request to make the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program available to help communities in the three counties rebuild in a way that mitigates future disaster losses.