With a potential government shutdown that could come Tuesday, Colorado may see delays in flood damage repair.
Thousands of workers are expected to be furloughed if there is a shutdown, according to a letter to House Speaker John Boehner from Sens. Mark Udall, D-Colo., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has dealt with flood damage up to this point, is one agency at risk.
“A number of FEMA employees, both based in Washington and at the FEMA Region 8 office in Denver, are vulnerable to furloughs in the event of a shutdown,” the letter said. “We are concerned that the furloughs resulting from a shutdown could inevitably remove some key staff who are currently overseeing the process in Colorado, increasing the likelihood of errors that could impact Colorado families just beginning to rebuild.”
More than 16,000 Colorado households have applied to FEMA for assistance, according to Bennet and Udall.
Removal of the National Guard in Colorado also is a risk with the uncertainty of a government shutdown at midnight Monday.
The Utah National Guard, parts of which have been stationed in Colorado to help with flood recovery, would be forced to move back to Utah until the state government can begin to cover their payments.
A change in funding could add to the delay, according to a statement released by the Utah National Guard.
However, some parts of the National Guard and FEMA may continue to function without furlough in the event of a shutdown if they are deemed essential by the federal government.
The National Guard must be approved by the Secretary of Defense if they are to continue their mission in Colorado.
The status of most government programs and jobs under the shutdown remains uncertain, said Bennet’s communications director, Adam Bozzi.
“That is part of the problem,” he said. “We are three days away (from a potential government shutdown), and people are still trying to figure out if they are going to go to work.”
sgaber@durangoherald.com. Suzanne Gaber is a student at American University in Washington, D.C., and an intern for The Durango Herald.
