ST. PAUL, MN – Following record-setting snowfall in Minnesota last month, and another major snowfall event this past weekend, weather experts are predicting major flooding throughout the state this spring.
Yet Minnesota’s Disaster Assistance Contingency Account - created to allocate funds to communities impacted by natural disasters and to avoid calling special sessions to authorize the appropriation of these funds - sits empty.
To rectify this problem, Rep. Greg Boe (R-Chaska) is coauthoring legislation that will replenish this needed funding so impacted cities will be able to immediately begin recovery efforts.
“In a year in which we’ve received record snowfalls, serious and dangerous floods are inevitable this spring,” said Boe. “Given our community’s proximity to the Minnesota River, the threat of flooding is especially relevant. The disaster assistance contingency account currently lacks the financial resources to adequately respond to the anticipated floods, so it is imperative that we pass this legislation now to ensure funding is in place.”
The proposed legislation would transfer $20 million in Fiscal Year 2019 and another $20 million in Fiscal Year 2020 to Minnesota’s disaster assistance contingency account, effective the day after final enactment. The account is currently in the red after Minnesota responded with $11 million in relief to flooding events last year in Brainerd and Duluth. Governor Walz and House Democrats have proposed putting $10 million into the account for 2019, but that would likely be insufficient based on last year’s use and this year’s flood predictions.
“For just two floods last year, the state used $11 million in disaster relief funds. With the massive amounts of snow we’ve seen this winter, $10 million in this fund will surely be inadequate. It’s important that we provide additional funding as soon as possible so the state can effectively respond when waters begin to rise,” concluded Boe.
The disaster assistance contingency account has contained more than $10 million in previous years. Since its creation in Fiscal Year 2014, the account held $17.466 million in Fiscal Year 2015 and $20.4 million in Fiscal Year 2016
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