Washington Island is in line to receive the monetary aid needed after last year’s electric cable failure. The underwater cable froze over last winter and failed in June of 2018, forcing the Washington Island Electric Collective to use generators to bring power back to the island. Because of the small size of the community, Washington Island didn’t initially qualify for FEMA assistance to offset the cost of the repair, estimated at around $4 million. Since then Senator Andre Jacque and Representative Joel Kitchens have been working to correct this. Sen Jacque says he wanted to make sure small electric cooperatives like Washington Island’s would be protected and eligible for relief. 

Washington Island will receive $2 million from the state that will be given towards the repair and replacement cost if officially signed off on by the Legislature and Governor Tony Evers.