posted April 22, 2025 08:45 PM            

Fourteen tornadoes touched down in Arkansas on March 14 and 15, leaving three dead and dozens injured.

The next week, Sanders asked President Donald Trump for a major disaster declaration, the first step in securing federal funds and other help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Sanders specifically requested help in the form of small business loans and individual assistance for people in Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp and Stone counties.

But the Trump administration declined to declare a disaster, meaning no federal assistance would be heading our way.

In their rejection note to Sanders’ March 21 request, the federal government said the damage wasn’t anything state and local folks couldn’t handle.

Here’s what the federal government said in its denial, according to Lacey Kanipe, spokeswoman for the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management:

“Based on our review of all of the information available, it has been determined that the damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments, and voluntary agencies. Accordingly, we have determined that supplemental federal assistance is not necessary.”

Sanders and the state Division of Emergency Management appealed that decision on April 18, after another round of spring storms worked Arkansas over. In their appeal, they described the compounding nature of the storms.

“The severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on March 14 and 15, 2025, produced catastrophic impacts across the state. The sheer magnitude of this event resulted in overwhelming amounts of debris, widespread destruction to homes and businesses, the tragic loss of three lives, and injuries to many others,” Sanders’ appeal letter said. “Less than three weeks later, Arkansas was once again devastated by a second wave of severe storms, tornadoes, and a generational flooding event. These compounding disasters severely affected many of the same counties, adding even more catastrophic debris and tragically claiming the lives of three additional Arkansans. Given the cumulative impact of these events, federal assistance is essential to help our communities recover.”

The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management had not gotten a response from the Trump administration as of Monday afternoon.

In the last five years, the state has only seen two denials for federal funding, Kanipe said. The FEMA website shows many times the agency sent aid to Arkansas, including declarations of major disasters after a winter storm and severe storms in 2023 and after severe storms and more last year.

Kanipe couldn’t immediately say which specific requests for federal disaster assistance earned denials in recent years. In 2019, FEMA denied some aid for hazard mitigation related to flooding in Fort Smith, but the agency approved other applications for the Arkansas storm damage that year.

Sanders’ recent appeals for federal help are notably different from the hands-off approach she espoused early in her term in 2023:

That big talk did not dissuade then-President Joe Biden from quickly signing off on disaster relief for Arkansas after the March 31, 2023, tornado.

Indeed, a retrospective press release from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management sent a year later noted how quickly the Biden administration responded to the 2023 storms that killed five:

posted April 22, 2025 08:47 PM            

I've heard the national weather service might not be able to alert us to anything we need to be alerted to, either, because of promised cuts to funding, and staff. Is that a tornado coming your way? Find out for just $10.99!

posted April 23, 2025 11:56 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Randall:
Somehow, I think this will be proven false. “According to…”

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posted April 24, 2025 12:07 AM            

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Originally posted by teasel:
Bump. Stop telling people, they *need* to give birth, because it’s creepy, and also make sure that the people already here, are helped.

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posted April 24, 2025 09:43 PM            

Apr 4, 2025

Sanders Submits Disaster Declaration Request to President Trump Ahead of Potential Flooding

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. –Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders submitted a Major Disaster Declaration to President Donald J. Trump, requesting Direct Federal Assistance, statewide, as a result of the storms, tornadoes, and flooding that began on April 2, 2025, and is ongoing. Arkansas is both experiencing and expecting significant and widespread impacts on and near the Buffalo River, Spring River, Little Red River, Cache River, Black River, Saline River, Ouachita River, Eleven Point River, Mississippi River, Petit Jean River, Little River, and White River and additional rainfall this week will prolong major flooding and will add additional pressure to river levees.

The Governor’s full letter is linked here.

“This week is bringing generational rainfall to Arkansas and, though our emergency personnel are working overtime to keep everyone safe, additional federal assistance is necessary for our disaster response efforts,” said Governor Sanders. “I appreciate President Trump and his administration’s assistance as we work to save lives and property.”

Governor Sanders is specifically requesting: