U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) led seven fellow members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation in calling on President Obama to issue a major disaster declaration to assist local communities in recovering from flood damage.
The request followed torrential storms that dumped up to 10 inches of rain across central and southern Minnesota in September and caused flash flooding that damaged public infrastructure and private property.
“Many of these same counties saw significant flood damage in September 2010 and again in the summer of 2014,” the letter states. “We are confident that the communities impacted by these storms will also recover and rebuild, but we urge you to make the federal government a full partner in that effort.”
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton determined that damage caused by the flooding could not be addressed by state and local officials alone and recently made a formal request for federal assistance.
“Minnesotans have displayed their resiliency in recovering from disasters in recent years including deadly tornadoes and widespread flooding,” the letter said.
Emmer and other members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation encouraged the president to issue a disaster declaration “in a timely manner” so that federal assistance could be made available for debris removal and infrastructure repairs.