N.D. Gov. Requests More Counties, Tribal Lands Be Added to Disaster Declaration

North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven announced that six more North Dakota counties and one tribal reservation have been added to the presidential disaster declaration issued on July 22.

The declaration 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. With this addition, 26 counties and three tribal nations are now eligible for disaster aid.

“These additional North Dakota counties and reservation have also sustained damages to their infrastructure as a result of severe storms and flooding, and we welcome their addition to the list,” Hoeven said. “With the inclusion of these six counties and tribal lands in this disaster declaration, local and tribal communities will have the resources they need to help repair the damages.”

The additional counties and reservation eligible under the declaration include Mountrail, 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 may 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.