Additional South Dakota Counties Designated For Disaster Aid
Release Date: June 18, 2001
Release Number: 1375-04
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Watertown, SD -- Federal disaster funds have been made available to seven additional South Dakota counties to help local governments rebuild public property damaged by severe winter storms, ice jams and spring flooding during the period March 1 through April 30, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today.
The additional counties are Buffalo, Deuel, Edmunds, Gregory, Jerauld, Todd and Tripp. FEMA Director Joe M. Allbaugh said the assistance was approved following a review of damage data gathered by federal and state disaster recovery officials.
"Ensuring that vital community services are restored as quickly as possible is part of our continuing commitment to help South Dakota achieve a full and lasting recovery," Allbaugh said.
Affected local governments in declared counties may apply for federal funds to pay 75 percent of the approved costs for debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster, and repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, buildings and utilities. The declaration also makes cost-share mitigation funding available to the state for approved projects that reduce future disaster risks.
The funds were authorized under the major disaster declaration issued by President Bush on May 17 and made available through FEMA's public assistance program for state and local governments.
The addition of seven counties brings the number of declared counties eligible for federal assistance to 24. The counties are Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Buffalo, Clark, Codington, Day, Deuel, Edmunds, Grant, Gregory, Hamlin, Hanson, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Marshall, Mellette, Moody, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Todd, Tripp and Turner counties.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 21-Oct-2003 11:32:53