DELEGATION APPLAUDS PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL OF DISASTER DECLARATION FOR NORTH DAKOTA

Delegation Will Meet with President Today to Push for Full Federal Response to Flood Crisis

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or  Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad and Congressman Earl Pomeroy today applauded the quick action by the Obama Administration to enact a major disaster declaration that will deliver federal aid to the flood fight in North Dakota. The delegation will also meet with President Obama later today to thank him for his rapid response and ask him to stand with thousands of North Dakota families as they face the flood crisis.

The disaster declaration is retroactive to March 13, 2009, and will make federal aid available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis in the counties of Adams, Barnes, Benson, Billings, Burleigh, Cass, Cavalier, Dickey, Dunn, Emmons, Foster, Grand Forks, Grant, Hettinger, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Nelson, Oliver, Pembina, Ramsey, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Sioux, Stark, Stutsman, Walsh, and Williams and the Standing Rock and Spirit Lake Indian Reservations for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance.

The North Dakota delegation had urged the Administration to fast-track the disaster declaration. In separate calls yesterday with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, the delegation briefed the Administration on the worsening conditions in Bismarck, the Red River Valley and other North Dakota communities.

After the call, Secretary Napolitano signed the disaster declaration and forwarded it to the President, who signed it late last night.

“This disaster declaration will be a big help to the effort to hold back the water in communities around the state,” the delegation said in a joint statement. “We’re facing massive flood threats in many communities all across our state -- we need all hands on deck. The President promised his full support and his Administration will be with us every step of the way.”

Over the last several weeks, the delegation has held meetings in Washington and in North Dakota to help coordinate the federal, state and local response to rising flood waters.

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