By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Several Arizona leaders are voicing disapproval and disappointment after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied an appeal to provide aid to Gila County communities affected by deadly floodwaters.
Read more Investigation underway after inmate dies at Pima County Jail
FEMA declined Arizona’s appeal for a Major Disaster Declaration tied to the September 2025 flooding in the Globe-Miami communities, concluding the event was “not of such severity and magnitude that warrants a major disaster declaration,” according to the agency’s determination cited by the city.
The denial also applies to Arizona’s request for public assistance to Gila and Mohave Counties and statewide hazard mitigation help.
Floodwaters turned downtown Globe into a river last September. Three people died, and 1,000 floating propane tanks caused a major hazardous materials emergency. Gov. Katie Hobbs initially declared a state of emergency in Sept. 2025 and requested the Federal Major Disaster Declaration a month later.
FEMA denied Arizona’s first request for federal funding in Dec. 2025.
Gov. Hobbs calls decision ‘cruel and reckless’
The governor called the decision a “devastating blow” to Gila and Mohave County residents and Tribal communities.
“Three lives were lost in these floods, and critical infrastructure was completely destroyed. Arizona clearly met the threshold for this funding, and my administration worked alongside bipartisan members of our congressional delegation and local leaders for six months to secure it, yet the federal government refused to deliver support for Arizonans in need. Despite this cruel and reckless decision from out-of-touch Washington politicians, I will not stop fighting for the families, businesses, and communities impacted by these storms,” Gov. Hobbs statement read.
The governor’s office says the state will continue working with local leaders, Tribal communities, nonprofits and Arizona congressmembers, including Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton and GOP Rep. Eli Crane, to identify additional resources and long-term recovery efforts.
Disappointment from Globe and Miami mayors
Globe Mayor Al Gameros stressed that recovery efforts are not over despite the “deeply disappointing” decision.
“We will continue working with our local, county, state, and federal partners to move critical projects forward and build a safer, more resilient community. While we respect the federal review process, this determination does not reflect the significant impacts experienced by our residents, businesses, and public infrastructure,” he shared.
“We extend our appreciation to Governor Hobbs for her efforts in this appeal process and especially for providing $ 10 million in this year’s state budget to Gila County for flood Mitigation projects.”
Read more Renter’s home devastated in storm, has no insurance to cover damage
Miami Mayor Gil Madrid echoed similar statements, calling the decision a “setback.”
“The people of Miami have shown incredible resilience in the face of last year’s devastating floods, but recovery is far from complete. The denial of Arizona’s FEMA appeal is a setback, not just for our town, but for every resident and business still feeling the impacts. Our flood mitigation funding to date is a mere 30 to 40 percent of our needs. We will continue working alongside Gila County, the State of Arizona, and our federal partners to pursue every opportunity for assistance. Our community deserves the support needed to fully recover and prepare for future disasters,” he shared.
Rep. Crane responds to decision
GOP Rep. Crane represents Arizona’s District 2, which covers the Globe-Miami communities. He shared the following statement about the decision:
“I’m disappointed with this decision by FEMA. I think their bureaucracy fails to account for the unique challenges imposed on rural Arizonans who are surrounded by federal land. I’m grateful to our partners at the Department of Transportation, the Department of Agriculture, and the Small Business Administration, which led to well over $50 million in assistance to Gila County. We will continue advocating for these communities that are still recovering from last year’s floods,” he shared.
FEMA’s response
A FEMA spokesperson responded to Arizona’s Family regarding the agency’s decision with the following statement Thursday afternoon:
“Just like all declaration requests, FEMA follows the Stafford Act and its regulations to support the determination process on whether federal assistance is warranted to supplement state, local, tribal or territorial efforts and capabilities provided by Arizona. The law and regulations require FEMA to review each request closely and consider the unique circumstances of disaster-caused damages as well as state and local capacity.
FEMA assesses a number of factors to determine the severity, magnitude and impact of a disaster event. Major disaster declaration request evaluation factors considered include estimated cost of the assistance, localized impacts, insurance coverage in force, hazard mitigation, recent multiple disasters, programs of other federal assistance, state fiscal capacity and resource availability, uninsured home and personal property losses, disaster-impacted population profile, impact to community infrastructure, casualties, and disaster related unemployment.”
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Read more AP Exclusive: ICE officer in Maine shooting has history of violent behavior, family and records say