Christa Swanson is a Digital Media Producer at CBS Colorado in Denver.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are asking President Trump to reverse a decision, saying the president denied disaster declaration requests for major wildfires and flooding across the state earlier this year.
In August, lightning strikes near the town of Meeker sparked two massive wildfires that burned over 150,000 acres in Rio Blanco County. The Lee fire became the fifth-largest wildfire in the state's history. Polis declared a disaster emergency for the Elk Fire on Aug. 3, which was updated on Aug. 6 to include the Lee Fire. That declaration unlocked over $18.5 million in state funding to help with suppression and recovery efforts.
The Elk and Lee Fires and subsequent mudslides caused approximately $27.5 million in damage, according to state estimates validated by FEMA. State officials expect that estimate to grow as recovery efforts continue.
Polis said the region's Piceance Basin produces between 2 and 5% of the United States' daily consumption of natural gas and that the two local utility providers in the area suffered almost $24 million in damage to their infrastructure. He warned that a lack of support could stall production, damaging the local economy and causing rate increases that reach far beyond the region.
Polis declared another disaster emergency in October when areas of southwest Colorado along Vallecito Creek, the Piedra River, and the San Juan River basin were struck by intense flooding.
According to a statement from the governor's office, "The Western Colorado Flooding destroyed or damaged essential drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, including near-total sewer system failures in the Pagosa Springs area. Floodwaters breached levees, triggered evacuations for nearly 400 homes, prompted multiple boil-water advisories, and caused at least 11 high-water rescues by local first responders. Rivers reached historic levels -- including the San Juan River's third-highest crest since 1911 -- and debris flows, sediment deposits, and rechanneling of waterways have created long-term risks for residents living along Vallecito Creek, the Piedra River, and the San Juan River basin."
Polis made a formal request for support in September. Colorado's entire congressional delegation -- four Democrats and four Republicans -- along with both Democratic senators, asked the president to support the request and to issue a major disaster declaration to help the people affected by the fires and floods.
According to the governor's office, that request was denied Saturday night. In a joint statement, Colorado's governor and senators called on the president to reconsider.
"Coloradans impacted by the Elk and Lee fires and the flooding in Southwestern Colorado deserve better than the political games President Trump is playing. One of the most amazing things to witness as Governor has been the resilience of Coloradans following a natural disaster. Their courage, strength, and willingness to help one another is unmatched - values that President Trump seems to have forgotten. I call on the President's better angels and urge him to reconsider these requests. This is about the Coloradans who need this support, and we won't stop fighting for them to get what they deserve. Colorado will be appealing this decision," Polis said.
Bennet condemned the denial, claiming that the president is using Coloradans for "political games" and calling the move "malicious and obscene."
"A disaster is a disaster, regardless of what state in the country it took place. Together with Governor Polis and the Colorado delegation, I will take every available step to appeal this decision," he asserted.
"Coloradans are trying to rebuild their lives after fires and floods destroyed homes and communities across our state. Trump's decision to reject our disaster requests, and therefore, withhold resources as our communities continue to recover, is unacceptable. This isn't a game. These are people's lives," Hickenlooper said.
CBS News Colorado reached out to FEMA for comment on Sunday. Its Denver regional office referred questions to its national office in Washington, D.C., but as of the time of this story's publishing, it has not yet responded. CBS News also reached out to the White House for comment.