How do government policy and regulation impact rates?

Changes to FEMA reimbursement rules or disaster recovery legislation can affect how quickly SVEC receives funds after major storms. Delays or reductions in reimbursements increase the financial burden on the cooperative – money that could otherwise be invested to better serve members and their access to safe, affordable, and reliable power.

How you can help:

Support H.R. 4669 – the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act of 2025 aims to cut red tape, speed up disaster relief, and make FEMA an independent agency that reports directly to the president. Currently, co-ops often wait years for FEMA reimbursements after hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and other disasters which drives up the cost for rural communities. This bill would change that by:

• Faster payments: FEMA must reimburse emergency work within 120 days once 90% of costs are approved.
• Quick reviews: FEMA must review long-term project estimates in 90 days and release funds within 30 days of approval.
• Smarter rebuilding: Co-ops could strengthen damaged systems instead of rebuilding them exactly as before.