Biden issues disaster declaration in Colorado for recovery from June storms

President Joe Biden on Friday issued a disaster declaration for Colorado in the wake of the severe storms, flooding and tornados that came through the state in June, opening up opportunities for federal support.

The declaration orders assistance from the federal government and allocates funding for state, tribal and local governments to use for emergency work and repairing damages from flooding in Cheyenne, Douglas, Elbert, El Paso, Kit Carson and Lincoln counties.

Biden’s declaration comes after Gov. Jared Polis issued a state emergency following the June storms, activating a state emergency operation plan and allocating state dollars to support recovery efforts.

“I applaud the White House for this action and thank the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and local officials who worked closely together to assess damages and determine if and when a county needs support from the state or federal government to enhance their efforts in providing support for Colorado communities,” Polis said in a statement. 

A news release from Polis’ office said the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will assess whether additional counties may need access to federal funding based on qualifying damages from the extreme weather.