by Matthew Holloway | May 16, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ02) welcomed a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announcement Tuesday that multiple Arizona health care providers, tribal entities, and state agencies are receiving federal funding through grants released by the agency.
The grants were awarded to the Arizona Department of Emergency & Military Affairs, the Arizona Department of Health Services, Dignity Community Care, Dignity Health, the Havasupai Tribe, HonorHealth, and Valleywise Health.
More than $5.5 million of the funding is designated for the Havasupai Tribe to repair damage caused by flash flooding in 2024. The project includes replacing four damaged bridges with structures designed to withstand major flood events, including 100-year flood events. The funding will also support fencing and erosion-control systems intended to protect ancestral burial grounds and culturally significant tribal sites.
In a statement released by his office, Crane said, “On behalf of rural Arizonans, I’m grateful to President Trump, Secretary Mullin, Associate Administrator Phillips, and agency personnel for delivering this reimbursement. This funding will strengthen health care across our state, as well as provide meaningful assistance for the Havasupai Tribe.”
“I also appreciate the work of Chairman Garbarino and Arizona’s congressional delegation,” he added, specifically highlighting the efforts of Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ05), whom he said, “demonstrated considerable leadership behind the scenes to resolve these long overdue needs.”
“We will continue to partner with the Trump administration to deliver wins for all Arizonans,” Crane said.
The Havasupai Tribe, located within Arizona’s Second Congressional District, was among the entities identified in the release. Crane’s district includes a significant number of tribal communities throughout northern and eastern Arizona.
The announcement follows a series of recent federal and congressional discussions surrounding rural infrastructure, tribal services, and health care access in Arizona communities. Last week, Crane participated in a Federal Partners Forum in Prescott focused on rural Arizona infrastructure and coordination between federal, state, and local agencies.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Aug 23, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Eli Crane announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), under President Trump, is offering low-interest federal disaster loans to help businesses, nonprofits, and tribal nations recover from the devastating 2025 wildfires. The loans respond to the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires, which scorched the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Kaibab Plateau in Northern Arizona.
The federal disaster declaration, issued by the SBA on August 13th, covers the Arizona counties of Coconino, Gila, Mohave, Navajo, and Yavapai, as well as the tribal nations of the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Havasupai Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe.
According to a press release from the SBA, “The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for businesses and 3.625% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.”
The administration clarified that the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) is available to eligible businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. However, the administration noted it is “unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.”
The SBA explained that the purpose of the loans is “for working capital needs caused by the disaster, and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.”
As of this report, the Dragon Bravo fire has burned over 145,000 acres and is 62% contained. It has cut a swath of destruction from the north rim of the Grand Canyon northward along both sides of Arizona State Route 67 for about 12 miles and then along the east side of the State Route for nearly another twenty miles, leaving a scar almost 16 miles wide at its widest point.
The White Sage fire has burned nearly 59,000 acres and is 95% contained after spreading in a widening eastward arc from White Sage flat through the Kaibab National Forest toward Coyote Valley.
In July, Governor Katie Hobbs met with Trump administration officials, including Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, to coordinate with federal authorities on the Dragon Bravo wildfire, days after Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ09) joined a growing bipartisan coalition of Arizona leaders calling for an investigation into it. The fire claimed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge along with 50-80 other structures in the area in mid-July.
For more information about the SBA EID loans or to apply, please click here, call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955, or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
