text: Lawmakers Emphasize Urgency of Debris Removal as Colorado Communities Transition to Long-Term Rebuilding Efforts
  Washington, D.C. — Today, Colorado U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet and Colorado U.S. Representative Joe Neguse urged President Joe Biden and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell to grant Colorado’s forthcoming Private Property Debris Removal (PPDR) requests in the wake of the Marshall Fire.
  “Because of the staggering scale of the destruction from the Marshall Fire and the vast amount of resources required for the community to recover, we believe that these requests are entirely warranted,” wrote Hickenlooper, Bennet, and Neguse in their letter to President Biden. “We urge FEMA’s swift consideration and approval of the PPDR with foundation removal request and your support for the subsequent request for additional federal assistance for the program.”
  “As we transition to long-term recovery, debris removal is the most urgent priority for rebuilding,” wrote Hickenlooper, Bennet, and Neguse in their letter to FEMA. “The State of Colorado , Boulder County, the City of Louisville, and the Town of Superior are collaborating on a debris-removal effort in order to minimize individual costs to survivors and provide for expeditious debris removal that conforms to public health and safety standards.”
  In both letters, the lawmakers also support Colorado’s request for an increased cost share from FEMA for the PPDR program to jump-start communities’ economic recovery.
  The Marshall Fire was the most destructive disaster in Colorado’s history, causing over $680 million in damage and destroying 1,084 homes and dozens of businesses and public facilities. Hickenlooper, Bennet, and Neguse continue to work with the Biden Administration to ensure Colorado communities have the resources they need to recover and move forward.