King County Council clears way for WA bomb cyclone recovery funding

KING COUNTY, Wash. - The King County Council approved legislation Tuesday night that will hopefully lead to residents getting the aid they need after last month's bomb cyclone.

The bomb cyclone tore through parts of King County on November 19, toppling trees, causing hundreds of thousands of power outages and killing two people.

The council's passed legislation asks King County Executive Dow Constantine to set up a plan to expedite and waive fees for permits needed to help rebuild.

The council also asks to waive dump fees for debris cleanup, and to set recommendations for a grant recovery program. The hope is for these grants to cover food costs, short-term hotels, debris cleanup and more for those affected by the storm.

"We’ve seen firsthand how much a storm like this can impact people’s lives – not just with days-long power outages, but with catastrophic damage to homes, cars and other property – and it’s up to all of us, county government included, to help when our neighbors are in need," said Councilmember Sarah Perry who sponsored the legislation along with Councilmembers Reagan Dunn and Claudia Balducci. "I’m glad for our quick work on this legislation, not only for the immediate relief of residents, but to be that much better prepared for the future."

"Residents of East and Southeast King County bore the brunt of the bomb cyclone, whose nearly 80 mph winds not only caused extreme power outages, but resulted in extensive damage to homes and property," said Councilmember Reagan Dunn. "These individuals are facing immense costs and effort to put their lives back together, and assisting in the recovery from this natural disaster is a shared responsibility of King County government. I thank my colleagues for prioritizing this important piece of legislation."

The council also asks Constantine to develop an after-action report, conduct a gap analysis to improve future storm responses and identify recommendations for how King County can become more storm resilient in the future.

"The November 19 storm hit our King County communities hard," said Councilmember Claudia Balducci. "We tragically lost lives in this storm, and I extend my sympathy and condolences to their loved ones. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power, internet access, or both, for many days, including my own family. Knowing that extended outages present safety risks to the people in our communities, and bring economic and other hardships, it’s imperative that we work together with our utility providers and community partners to plan for making our region more resilient to future storms and disasters. I’m proud to join Councilmembers Sarah Perry and Reagan Dunn in sponsoring and making sure King County is doing all we can do to support those who were damaged by the storm and coordinate continuous improvement to be ready for the future."

A full report on relief options is due back to King County Council by January 3, 2025, and an after-action report on the storm response is due September 1, 2025.

Those in King County can report storm damage on the King County Emergency Management website.

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