JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Senator John Hoeven, along with Senator Kevin Cramer and North Dakota legislators Senator Terry Wanzek and Representative Craig Headland. discussed the damage to roadways inundated with floodwater in Stutsman County Friday.
The discussion focused on advanced options with the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services (NDDES), local officials and representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for repairing the damage and preventing future flooding.
Senator Hoeven oversees the annual funding for FEMA and is working to ensure the agency’s programs meet the needs of the state’s communities as they respond to and prepare for disasters.
“The damage in Stutsman County is severe, disrupting the lives of residents and the farmers who need to access their fields,” said Senator Cramer. “After hearing the concerns of these residents, I am fully confident FEMA will soon make policy changes in order to follow the intent of President Trump’s disaster declaration of providing this area with the emergency assistance it needs.”
Road access in Stutsman County has been substantially degraded by recent natural disasters, putting at risk the health and safety of residents who now cannot reach emergency services. Farmers are also struggling as they try to access their fields in an already limited planting time frame.
To combat this, President Trump issued a major disaster declaration at the request of Governor Burgum and with the support of the congressional delegation, authorizing 75 percent federal reimbursement of the eligible costs of disaster response and recovery work undertaken by eligible applicants.
While FEMA had previously stated it will not consider submerged or inundated roads eligible for permanent repair until the water recedes and visible damages can be verified, officials participating in today’s event indicated they are following Senator Cramer’s request to change their policy in a way that is transparent and will allow these local governments to receive assistance.