ST. PAUL, MN – Today, the Minnesota Legislature convened for a one-day Special Session to approve $4.5 million in disaster aid for 18 southern and central Minnesota counties damaged by storms in June. In addition, lawmakers reappropriated funds to counties impacted by the 2013 ice storm.
Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL—Austin) was the chief author of the bill (HF 1) appropriating disaster relief funds.
“I’m pleased that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle worked together to continue Minnesota’s proud history providing disaster relief in a timely and bipartisan manner,” said Rep. Poppe. “Minnesotans can count on their elected officials to support them in their time of need.”
After President Barack Obama signed a federal disaster relief declaration in July, the state of Minnesota needed to appropriate the funding in order to secure matching funds from the federal government to go towards repair costs for damaged roads, bridges, buildings and other public infrastructure.
The 18 Minnesota counties eligible for disaster relief aid in the wake of the June storms include Benton, Big Stone, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, McLeod, Morrison, Pope, Sibley, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Traverse and Wilkin. Funding will be distributed through the Department of Public Safety. Rep. Poppe, a native of Houston County, currently represents a portion of Freeborn County and previously represented four townships in Fillmore County before legislative district lines were redrawn in 2012.
Additionally, $219,141 in disaster aid for the 2013 ice storm will be distributed by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) in the following manner: $60,000 grant to Nobles County; $60,000 grant to Rock County; $99,141 grant to the City of Worthington.
The 2013 Disaster Relief Bill does not appropriate any new funds and has zero impact on the General Fund. The bill also does not provide additional funding for counties not included in a declaration area.
Lawmakers will reconvene next on February 25 for the 2014 legislative session.
Rep. Poppe invites her constituents to contact her with any questions about disaster relief or any other issue. She can be reached by phone at (651) 296-4193, by email at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn, or by postal mail at 487 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.