News Releases for October 2005
October 7, 2005
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Hoeven Announces $5 Million Disaster Recovery Project Approved for Electrical Co-op
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today announced that state and federal disaster recovery officials have approved a $5 million project to help restore a storm-damaged electrical transmission system for United Power Association/Great River Energy.
“After the severe storm we experienced in July, we issued a disaster declaration and requested assistance from FEMA for this transmission system project,” Hoeven said. “We’re pleased we got that funding, and now we’re assessing the need to take similar steps in response to the severe early snow storm that struck western North Dakota two days ago.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is paying 75 percent, or nearly $3.8 million of the total estimated project cost, according to state and disaster recovery officials. The State of North Dakota and the power co-op share the remaining 25 percent.
The project enables Great River Energy to replace 471 damaged power poles and provides some additional financial assistance to rebuild the transmission system with protective measures that will help reduce or prevent future disaster damages.
The generation system was damaged June 19 when a severe storm with straight-line winds of more than 100 miles per hour destroyed about 30.5 miles of the Devils Lake–Balta 230 KV transmission line in Benson and Pierce counties. According to damage assessments, the high winds broke 231, two-pole, H-framed power line supports, along with some three-pole frame supports, severely impacting power supply to the north-central North Dakota area.
In addition to replacing the damaged poles, some of the system is being relocated so that power poles which had been sitting in water, and were subsequently broken in the storm, now can be relocated onto dry land to allow better access for future maintenance.
“This project not only helps restore miles of critical infrastructure, it represents an important step forward to ensure that the transmission system will better weather future storms,” said Susan Reinertson, director of the North Dakota Division of Emergency Services’ Division of Homeland Security.
“North Dakota has worked very hard for years now to better protect communities throughout the state from the impacts of future storms,” said Tom Bush, FEMA deputy federal coordinating officer for the North Dakota disaster. “We’re really pleased to see those efforts continue, especially in the case of this transmission system, which is so critical to public health and safety.”
The FEMA and state funding is authorized by a July presidential disaster declaration that triggered government assistance to help repair or replace public infrastructure damaged in severe storms, flooding and ground saturation that occurred from June 1 through July 7.
Under provisions of the declaration, the federal government pays up to 75 percent of eligible costs to governmental entities and some nonprofit organizations for such things as debris removal, emergency protective measures and repairing or replacing roads, bridges, public buildings and public utilities.
In all, a total of 26 counties and three tribal nations have been deemed eligible for state and federal storm aid. The state of North Dakota also is eligible statewide for mitigation funding on a cost-shared basis for approved projects that reduce future disaster impact.
The 26 eligible counties and three tribal nations are: Benson, Bottineau, Cavalier, Dickey, Grand Forks, Griggs, Kidder, LaMoure, McHenry, Mountrail, Nelson, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Ransom, Renville, Richland, Rolette Sargent, Sioux, Stark, Steele, Towner, Traill, Walsh and Ward counties. Eligible tribal nations are: the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewas, Standing Rock Sioux tribal reservation and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.
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.
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