For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 22, 2005

Statement on Federal Assistance for North Dakota

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of North Dakota and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, flooding, and ground saturation beginning on June 1, 2005, through July 7, 2005.

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, and ground saturation in 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 Indian Reservation, and the portion of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation within the State of North Dakota.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Representing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of Homeland Security, named Anthony Russell as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

The Agency said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.

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