Feds Approve Disaster Aid for Governments

Posted at: 07/06/2012 2:09 PM | Updated at: 07/06/2012 5:13 PM

The federal government has approved a disaster declaration for thirteen Minnesota counties and three tribal nations to help pay for cleanup and response to severe storms and flooding in June.

The declaration only covers damage to public infrastructure.  A separate damage asessment will begin next week to determine whether individual homeowners should also be eligible for federal aid.

The declaration covers Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Crow Wing, Dakota, Goodhue, Kandiyohi, Lake, Meeker, Pine, Rice, Sibley and St. Louis counties as well as the Fond du Lac Tribal Nation, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and the Grand Portage Tribal Nation.  Preliminary damage assessments found more than $108 million in costs and damages to public infrastructure.

The declaration includes two categories of aid:

  • Public Assistance: Assistance to state and local government and certain private non-profit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities. This applies within the counties in the disaster area.
  • Hazard Mitigation Grant Program: Assistance to state and local government and certain private nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards. All counties in the state of Minnesota are eligible to apply for assistance under this program.

FEMA will fund 75 percent of the approved cost; the remaining 25 percent is a state/local match. Eligible work includes debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster and repair or replacement of damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, buildings, utilities and recreation areas.

The state also requested individual assistance damage assessments for five counties and one tribe. Those assessments begin Wednesday, July 11 in Aitkin, Carlton, Lake, Pine and St. Louis counties as well as the Fond du Lac Tribal Nation. Individual assistance provides federal grants to individual citizens and private businesses who have suffered damages or losses not covered by insurance.

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