Letter to Barack Obama, President of the United States, and Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Craig Fugate, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency - Federal Disaster Declaration in Minnesota

Letter

Today, U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken (D-Minn.) , and Reps. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), John Kline (R-Minn.), and Tim Walz (D-Minn.) sent a letter to President Obama urging him to quickly issue a Disaster Declaration for 20 counties who experienced widespread damage as a result of this year's spring flooding. The delegation also reached out to Secretary Janet Napolitano to request that the Department of Homeland Security expedite the request. Governor Mark Dayton (D-Minn.) formally asked President Obama to issue a federal Disaster Declaration earlier this week.

"Given the widespread damage across our state, we write in strong support of the Governor's request and encourage you to issue a Disaster Declaration in a timely manner so activation of Federal programs to assist in the response and recovery efforts may begin," the delegation wrote in a letter to President Obama.

Several Minnesota counties were not designated in the current disaster declaration request. However, the delegation is confident that they will be included after the damage is fully assessed.

Sens. Klobuchar and Franken and Reps. Peterson, Kline, and Walz announced today that up to $10 million will be available to help eligible landowners in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota to reduce flooding, restore wetlands, and enhance wildlife habitat in the Red River Valley Watershed through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The funding will help alleviate the moderate to severe flooding the Red River Valley Watershed experiences annually. Projects funded through this special initiative will also result in long-term benefits to Minnesota taxpayers by reducing funding spent by local governments and the state to repair damaged roads, bridges and public areas. Reduced damage to cropland and associated disaster and damage payments also will save Minnesotans money in the long term.

The delegation's letter to President Obama can be read here; the delegation's letter to Secretary Napolitano can be read here.

April 22, 2011

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As representatives of communities devastated by spring flooding in Minnesota, we are writing to request your assistance in helping the residents of these areas recover.

For the third year in a row, the Red River of the North reached major flood stage. In addition, the Minnesota River crested at major flood level, and the Mississippi River crested five feet above flood stage in St. Paul. Even today, rivers around the state remain at flood stage, and likely will for weeks. These floods have caused widespread damage to public infrastructure.

The Governor of Minnesota has determined that these incidents are beyond the capability of our State and local governments to address on their own. All counties have experienced at least one federal disasted declaration in the past two years; five counties have experienced three federal disaster declarations. Governor Dayton is requesting Public Assistance for Categories A-G for the affected counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.

Given the widespread damage across our state, we write in strong support of the Governor's request and encourage you to issue a Disaster Declaration in a timely manner so activation of Federal programs to assist in the response and recovery efforts may begin.

These disasters are becoming all too common for Minnesotans. We are confident in their resilience and their ability to recover and rebuild, and we ask you to make the federal government a full partner in their effort.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and for your assistance in helping the recovery effort across Minnesota.

Sincerely,

Amy Klobuchar
United States Senator

Al Franken
United States Senator

Collin Peterson
Member of Congress

John Kline
Member of Congress

Tim Walz
Member of Congress

April 22, 2011

The Honorable Secretary Janet Napolitano
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528

The Honorable Craig Fugate
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street SW
Washington, DC 20472

Dear Secretary Napolitano and Administrator Fugate:

As representatives of communities devastated by spring flooding in Minnesota, we are writing to request that you expedite the processing of Minnesota's Disaster Declaration request.

Once again, the spring thaw has brought major flooding to Minnesota's rivers. Although our state avoided the devastation of the record floods that were predicted, the flooding still caused significant and widespread damage to public infrastructure.

FEMA has been conducting preliminary damage assessments throughout the state and has already found millions of dollars in damage. The governor of Minnesota has determined that the damage is beyond the capability of our state and local governments to address on their own, and has consequently requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration.

Given the widespread damage across our state, we write to strongly urge that you expedite the processing of the governor's request, so that President Obama can make his decision in a timely manner. Minnesota's communities are in need, and we would like to avoid any delay in receiving federal assistance.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and for your assistance in helping the recovery effort across Minnesota.

Sincerely,

Amy Klobuchar
United States Senator

Al Franken
United States Senator

Collin Peterson
Member of Congress

John Kline
Member of Congress

Tim Walz
Member of Congress

Source