Dear neighbors,
A State of Emergency has been declared in Rice and Le Sueur counties due to significant damage from flooding, making a wide range of state resources available to support our communities.
To ensure aid is available when we are impacted by natural disasters, the legislature created a new program to provide disaster relief grants to local units of government that sustain significant damage but are not eligible for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). According to news reports from the Associated Press, the magnitude and widespread geographic nature of flooding throughout our state make a federal disaster request a near certainty, as yesterday’s declaration covered a total of 35 counties.
Federal and state aid typically only covers costs to repair and replace uninsured public infrastructure, not damage to personal property, but financial assistance may still be possible for homeowners, renters and business owners from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
For more information about eligibility requirements for SBA aid, please click here to open a helpful fact sheet.
When major floods and storms hit, there are a variety of insurance issues to address. The Minnesota Department of Commerce set up a one-stop-shop to help Minnesotans prepare for the worst and make informed insurance decisions after a catastrophic loss:
http://mn.gov/commerce/consumers/disaster-information-center/
In addition, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has created a web page with statewide flood-related information that includes information about road closures:
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/flood/
I will provide additional information about disaster relief for our communities as it becomes available. If I can be of any assistance at any time, please contact me by phone at (651) 296-0171 or email at rep.david.bly@house.mn.
Sincerely,
David Bly
State Representative, District 20B