For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 16, 2001
Statement by the Press Secretary
The President today declared a major disaster exists
in the State of
Minnesota and ordered Federal aid to
supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by
severe winter storms, flooding, and tornadoes beginning on March 23,
2001, and continuing.
The
President's action makes Federal funding available to affected
individuals in the counties of Benton, Chippewa, Freeborn, Goodhue,
Houston, St. Louis, Stevens, Wabasha, Washington, Winona, and
Yellow Medicine, and the Tribal governments of Prairie Island and Upper
Sioux.
Assistance can include disaster
housing, grants, low-cost loans to cover
uninsured property losses, and other programs to
help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the
disaster.
Federal funding is also available to
eligible local governments in the counties of Big
Stone, Carver, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Dakota, Freeborn,
Goodhue, Grant, Houston, Lac qui Parle, McLeod,
Meeker, Morrison, Norman, Polk, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville,
St. Louis, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Washington, Wilkin,
Winona, and Yellow Medicine, and the
Tribal governments of Prairie Island and Upper Sioux. Assistance
is available on a cost-sharing basis for the
repair or replacement of public
facilities damaged by the severe
winter storms, flooding, and tornadoes.
Federal funding is also available on a cost share basis
for hazard mitigation measures.
Joe M. Allbaugh, Director of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency
(FEMA), named James L. Roche as the Federal
Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected
area.
The Agency said that damage surveys
are continuing in other areas, and additional counties may be added
after the assessments are completed.
The Agency said that residents and business owners who
sustained losses in
the designated counties can begin applying for
assistance tomorrow by calling 1-800-462-9029, or
1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.
The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.
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