Rep. Daniels Releases Statement on Bill that Brings Statewide Flood Relief, including Dodge, Steele, and Rice Counties
St. Paul, MN- A bill that will provide $17 million dollars for recovery efforts in the wake of last summer’s flooding passed the House today. Senate File 1 cancels previously enacted but unspent dollars from past natural disaster bills in 2011 and 2012 and includes $2.2 million in new spending. Funding for cleanup efforts in Dodge, Steele, and Rice counties are included in the package.
“I felt it was extremely important to see that this bill was passed in a timely manner in order to help out folks in Dodge, Steele, and Rice counties as well as those around the state who were impacted by last year’s floods,” said Daniels. “I am pleased that the Senate passed this bill late last week and that it will be heading to the Governor’s desk for signature sometime in the coming days.”
The package includes $13 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency match, as well as smaller appropriations for disaster spending by the Department of Transportation ($3 million) and the Board of Water and Soil Resources ($2.5 million). It also provides around $5 million for state-only disaster relief spending through the state’s recently created natural disaster contingency fund.
This relief is in response to statewide flooding which occurred last June and July, eliciting a federal disaster declaration. It covers 47 counties and three tribal governments.
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Rep. Daniels can be reached by phone at (651) 296-8237. He can also be contacted via e-mail at rep.brian.daniels@house.mn, or via U.S. Mail at 551 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155.