ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Wes Moore has appealed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s denial of nearly $34 million in disaster relief to help Western Maryland areas recovering from a devastating flood earlier this year. Maryland’s sole Republican member of Congress said Moore should look to his own budget before appealing to the federal government for help.
U.S. Rep. Andy Harris (R-1st) told Maryland Matters that the flooding is “a tragedy,” but said federal aid was not warranted in this instance.
“Federal emergency aid really should be for very, very large disasters that states can’t afford to cover on their own,” Harris, the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, said this week. “The governor just raised taxes $1.6 billion. He probably could find $30 million to send out to Western Maryland.”
“Extreme rainfall” from May 12-14 led to flooding that inundated parts of Allegany and Garrett counties. Midland, Lonaconing and Westernport in Allegany County were among the hardest-hit communities, with floodwaters inundating homes, schools and businesses, washing out roads and damaging pipelines.
The affected counties are all rural, majority Republican and economically challenged areas of the state. The 17.2% poverty rate in Allegany County trails only Baltimore City and Somerset County, both at 20.1%, according to 2023 estimates in the Maryland Manual online. Maryland’s overall poverty rate is 11.1%.
President Donald Trump has called FEMA “a disaster” and said states should handle disaster recovery with the federal government reimbursing some of the costs.
The comments made last week appear to represent a reversal for Harris, who three weeks ago joined the other nine members of the state’s congressional delegation, all Democrats, asking Trump to approve the aid request.
“We appreciate the congressman’s stated support for getting the FEMA funding that Western Maryland deserves,” Maureen Regan, a Moore spokesperson, said in a statement responding to Harris’ latest comments. “FEMA funding will be a critical boost to the nearly $1.5 million in disaster recovery and energy assistance that the state has already provided. We just hope the president will listen to the pleas of Mountain Marylanders to help rebuild their towns.”
Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence.