Door County will have to find other ways to repair damage from an August storm after Gov. Tony Evers announced Monday that his appeal for public assistance had been denied.
The decision comes about three months after Evers asked the Trump administration to reconsider its earlier denial of disaster aid for Door, Grant, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties. Severe storms and flooding in August 2025 caused significant damage to public infrastructure.
The state had requested about $26.5 million to help the affected communities recover.
Door County was included in Evers’ initial disaster declaration because of a confirmed tornado that touched down at Peninsula State Park on Aug. 9. According to the National Weather Service, the tornado reached peak winds of 73 mph, causing significant damage to power lines and trees before traveling across Eagle Harbor as a waterspout.
The state requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and initially secured some support for repairs and recovery efforts.
In November, FEMA officials noted that while the impact on individuals and households was significant, “based on the Preliminary Damage Assessments, it has been determined that the public assistance program is not warranted.”
In the most recent denial, FEMA Senior Official Karen S. Evans echoed those sentiments, writing that “after thorough review of all the information contained in your initial request and appeal, it has been reaffirmed that the designation of the Public Assistance program under FEMA-4892-DR is not warranted.”
In response, Evers urged the Trump administration to reconsider.
“Wisconsinites have been hard at work to build back from these historic flooding events, but folks are not out of the woods yet,” Evers said. “Efforts to rebuild will cost tens of millions of taxpayer dollars that local communities will be on the hook for, and it’s really disappointing to see our federal leadership turn their backs on Wisconsin, our families and our communities in our time of need.”
He added that the state will continue advocating for federal support.
Door County could still receive assistance through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, though it may face a similar outcome after the state’s first attempt was denied in October.
