Keeping the lights on in Northwest Washington
Did you see this opinion piece in the Everett Herald?
Josh Haarlow has been the chief executive officer and general manager of Snohomish County Public Utility District since 2018. He wrote this piece for the Everett Herald with his years of experience in the electric utility industry and a direct understanding of how FEMA's cuts will impact Northwest Washington.
Here is a snippet of what Haarlow wrote:
"Our lineworkers move quickly because they know how much our community depends on them... Even after the last pole is replaced, the last line is reconnected, transformer repaired and customer restored, utilities often wait months or even years to receive the federal funding that helps cover the significant cost of restoration after a disaster.
Those delays can strain local budgets and, in the end, affect customers.
That is why I am grateful to U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., for his leadership, along with his colleagues on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, in pushing for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reform.
On Wednesday [September 3], the committee will take up a bipartisan bill that would make long-overdue improvements to how FEMA responds to disasters. The PUD strongly supports this bill because it delivers what our community needs most: faster relief, fairer treatment and a stronger foundation for the future."
I am proud to share that the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved my bipartisan legislation to reform FEMA, The Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025. This legislation provides the most robust legislative reform of FEMA and federal disaster assistance programs in decades.
The FEMA Act of 2025 streamlines the federal government's disaster response and recovery programs while also making FEMA a cabinet-level agency once again that is directly accountable to the President. I will continue to lead bipartisan efforts that stand up for the values of Northwest Washington.
More soon,
Rick
