News Releases for July 2007
July 17, 2007
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Hoeven Announces Receipt Of Presidential Disaster Declaration For June
Governor Also Seeking Assistance For Recent Storm Damages
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today received notification that President Bush has approved his request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 11 counties seeking recovery assistance for accumulated damages to public infrastructure from severe storms and flooding in June. Notification came this afternoon as Hoeven toured areas of southeast North Dakota more recently impacted by storms.
Counties included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration announced today include Barnes, Bowman, Dickey, Grant, LaMoure, Logan, McHenry, Ransom, Richland, Sargent and Stutsman.
"Due to the recent hail and wind storm, we will also be requesting that these additional areas be included in a Presidential Disaster Declaration," Hoeven said. "Federal funding obtained through the declaration announced today supports local and state recovery efforts to restore flood-damaged roads, bridges and other infrastructure across those counties impacted by last months storms. The North Dakota Division of Homeland Security will provide state management of the grants to ensure funds are distributed to cities and counties, enabling continued repairs to damaged areas."
The Bank of North Dakota has disaster relief loan programs available for affected farmers and businesses in any North Dakota county. The federal disaster declaration also makes low interest loans available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for eligible farmers and ranchers. The USDA assistance program applies to residents of the declared disaster counties and contiguous counties.
The Presidential Disaster Declaration is based on preliminary damage assessments (PDAs) compiled by joint local, state and federal PDA teams, which showed losses of nearly $1.6 million to public infrastructure. The declaration will open access to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant statewide and Public Assistance programs to declared counties. The programs provide local governments federal grants to cover 75 percent of the cost of repair to public property damages. State and local governments cover the remaining 25 percent.
More information on FEMA programs can be found at www.fema.gov/help/site.shtm.
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