News Releases for August 2005
August 1, 2005
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Hoeven Requests Eligibility For Additional Counties and Tribal Lands Under Disaster Declaration
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven asked the White House last week to add six more North Dakota counties and one tribal reservation to the presidential disaster declaration issued on July 22. The counties Hoeven requested for addition were not included in the original declaration because their Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) were still in progress.
The declaration for the original 20 counties and two reservations triggers federal funds for recovery from public infrastructure damages incurred during severe storms and flooding that began on June 1 and continued through July 7.
“Several additional North Dakota counties and the Fort Berthold Reservation have sustained damages to their infrastructure as a result of severe storms and flooding,” Hoeven said. “We’re hopeful that the White House will consent to including them in federal disaster assistance.”
The additional counties and reservation that would be eligible under the declaration if approved are Montrail, Pembina, Ransom, Renville, Rolette and Towner counties and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. As a result, state agencies, tribal governments, local jurisdictions and certain private, non-profit organizations could be eligible for federal assistance equal to 75 percent of approved costs for emergency work and the restoration of damaged roads, bridges and other public facilities.
The initial declaration included 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 Band of Chippewas and Standing Rock Sioux tribal reservations.
Hoeven asked President Bush to issue a federal presidential disaster declaration on July 1, following the completion of a preliminary damage assessment by federal, state, local and tribal officials that showed losses of more than $13 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency eligible damage to power utilities, roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure.
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