Additional Counties And Tribal Lands Eligible For Disaster Aid
Release Date: August 3, 2005
Release Number: 1597-001
» More Information on North Dakota Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ground Saturation
BISMARCK, N.D. -- Six more North Dakota counties and one tribal nation have been added to the July 22 presidential disaster declaration. The addition means that now communities in 26 counties and three tribal nations are eligible for federal funds from the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help recover from the severe storms, flooding and ground saturation occurring between June 1 and July 7.
Added on August 3 to the disaster declaration were Mountrail, Pembina, Ransom, Renville, Rolette and Towner counties and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.
"These additional North Dakota counties and reservation have also sustained damages to their infrastructure as a result of severe storms and flooding, and we welcome their addition to the list," said Gov. John Hoeven. "With the inclusion of these six counties and tribal lands in this disaster declaration, local and tribal communities will have the resources they need to help repair the damages."
Under the declaration, state agencies, tribal governments, local jurisdictions and certain private, non-profit organizations may be eligible for federal assistance equal to 75 percent of approved costs for emergency work and the restoration of damage to roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities.
The jurisdictions included in the initial declaration were Benson, Bottineau, Cavalier, Dickey, Grand Forks, Griggs, Kidder, LaMoure, McHenry, Nelson, Pierce, Ramsey, Richland, Sargent, Sioux, Stark, Steele, Traill, Walsh and Ward counties, and the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation and the portion of the Standing Rock Reservation within North Dakota.
"This action demonstrates FEMA's ongoing commitment to help North Dakota communities recover from recent storms and flooding," said Federal Coordinating Officer Tony Russell.
The state of North Dakota is also eligible statewide for mitigation funding on a cost-shared basis for approved projects that reduce future disaster risk.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following an incident of national significance. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 03-Aug-2005 16:07:07