ST. PAUL, MN – Yesterday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a letter denying Individual Assistance to individual and households in southern Minnesota seriously impacted by heavy rainstorms and flooding on September 21-22, 2016. Governor Mark Dayton will formally appeal the decision, following further damage assessments next week by Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) and FEMA.

 

On November 2, 2016, President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in Minnesota, which made federal assistance for public infrastructure and hazard mitigation available to affected communities. At that time, assistance for individuals and households seriously impacted by the rainstorms and flooding remained under review.

Governor Dayton originally requested the assistance for communities in southern Minnesota on October 19, 2016. The Governor’s letter followed damage assessments by HSEM and local governments, which found $8.3 million in eligible public infrastructure damage and $10.1 million in estimated individual and household needs.