Gov. Tim Walz announced Tuesday, Feb. 5, the state of Minnesota was granted a major disaster declaration by the president of the United States.
Former Gov. Mark Dayton sent a letter to President Donald Trump late last year requesting the declaration after St. Louis County experienced severe weather impacts due to damaging waves and storm-surge flooding during Oct. 9-11.
The White House announced Friday, Feb. 1, the federal government's major disaster declaration.
"I am grateful for former Governor Dayton's efforts in securing this funding for the community of St. Louis County," Walz stated in a news release. "They will receive this much-needed assistance to repair and restore their community. I support and urge the passage of legislation that assists in covering the state's 25 percent match."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency authorized use of federal public assistance. They will reimburse local government applicants in St. Louis County 75 percent of their eligible costs for emergency work such as debris removal and emergency protective measures, and permanent work to repair, reconstruct and replace public facilities and infrastructure. Additionally, the state of Minnesota, with funds from the state disaster assistance contingency account, will reimburse the remaining 25 percent as the non-federal share of the aid.
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The amount of hazard mitigation grant assistance is an additional 15 percent of the eligible public assistance costs described above that may be used to implement cost-effective, long-term measures to reduce the loss of life and damage to property due to natural disasters.
About the types of assistance available
The presidential declaration makes two types of federal aid available to the St. Louis County community for flood and storm damage recovery:
• Public assistance aid is assistance to state and local government and certain private not-for-profit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities. This applies within counties in the disaster area.
• Hazard mitigation grants help defray the costs of making repairs necessary to reduce or eliminate long0term risks to people and property from natural hazards. Mitigation is a critical tool for breaking the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction and repeated damage, the release stated.
