President issues new disaster declaration

President Barack Obama has, again, declared a disaster in the region, opening the gate for federal assistance to local governments to recover from this spring’s flooding.

Obama declared a disaster in all 12 counties and three Indian reservations for which Gov. Steve Bullock requested the declaration, including Blaine, Chouteau and Hill counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy’s Indian reservations.

“By issuing this declaration, the White House recognizes the widespread damage flooding caused in north-central and northeastern Montana this spring and has committed to working with us to clean up and rebuild,” Bullock said Wednesday in a statement released after Obama declared the disaster. “I applaud the work of federal, state, county and local officials who have worked tirelessly to ensure the Montana communities hit hardest by these floods have the resources they need.”

The disaster will bring representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency back to this region for the third time in four years.

Obama declared a flood disaster for Rocky Boy and Chouteau and Hill counties in 2010, and a disaster for more widespread flooding in 2011 that also including Fort Belknap and Blaine County and other governments as well.

Wednesday’s declaration makes available money on a cost-share basis for local governments to use in repairing damage to public structures and infrastructure, as well as mitigating future damage.

The 2011 disaster also included individual assistance to help private property owners.

Local officials are collecting damage assessments from private property and business owners to send to FEMA to determine whether individual assistance could be provided for this disaster. A separate declaration is required to make that assistance available.

The flooding this year centered in this region, with the preliminary estimate for Rocky Boy, which is in both Chouteau and Hill counties, at $773,000. The estimate for Hill County listed in the governor’s request is the second-highest total, with $545,677. Blaine County’s is third at $358,092 and Fort Belknap is fourth, at $246,705.

Chouteau County’s estimate is the second-lowest in damages of the 15 entities approved, with the preliminary damage estimate at $22,185.

McCone County suffered the least damage listed in the preliminary estimate, at $18,468.

Roads, culverts, bridges, water systems and government buildings all were damaged in the flooding.

Montana’s U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester sent a letter to FEMA Director Craig Fugate July 3 urging him to respond quickly to Bullock’s request.

“While we still have a long way to go, this news will jump start efforts to help Montana families and businesses rebuild,” Baucus said Wednesday in a release issued after the president signed the declaration. “We’ll keep the pressure on so that communities devastated by flooding have the resources they need to rebuild roads, bridges and vital water systems so communities can get back on their feet.”

“Lending a hand in times of need is not just a Montana tradition, it’s an American one as well,” Tester added in the release. “These resources will help Montana communities rebuild the roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure we need so Montana comes back stronger than ever.”