FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, June 29, 2011

CONTACT: Joint Information Center, Joint Field Office, Pierre, SD

                        FEMA News Desk 571.329.6704

                        Terry Woster, SDOEM Public Information 605.773.3231

 

 

PIERRE, SD—In response to a request by Governor Dennis Daugaard, the counties of Butte, Charles Mix, Clay, Deuel, Hanson, and Hutchinson have been added to the federal disaster declaration originally signed on May 13, 2011.

 

This designation will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reimburse state and local governments for damages to public infrastructure caused by the spring flooding beginning March 11, 2011, and continuing.

In total, 37 South Dakota counties are now eligible for FEMA Public Assistance funding.

 “The addition of these six counties is an important step toward eventual recovery from this widespread flooding,’’ said Kristi Turman, Director of the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management. “We are still deeply involved in a coordinated response to flooding, but we are also looking to the future and to the things that can be done to help our communities recover.’’

Previously, FEMA Public Assistance was made available to state, local and tribal governments and certain private nonprofit agencies in the following South Dakota counties: Aurora, Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Buffalo, Clark, Codington, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Jackson, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Marshall, Miner, Moody, Perkins, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, and Sully. Stanley County was added May 31, 2011. Union County was added to the declaration on June 8, 2011, Yankton and Clay Counties were added to the declaration June 10, 2011, but Clay was previously only eligible for Direct Federal Assistance for Emergency Protective Measures.

“Even as the flood fight continues in some portions of South Dakota, six more counties now are eligible for funding to help their local governments recover from a disaster that has impacted communities across the state” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mark Neveau.

Under FEMA’s Public Assistance program, FEMA funds at least 75 percent of the cost of eligible work by local governments and certain private nonprofits. The State of South Dakota will contribute an additional 10 percent of the eligible costs. Applicants contribute 15% of eligible costs. In addition, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation efforts in all counties in the State.

FEMA’s mission is to support citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve the capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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