Statement by the Press Secretary on Federal Disaster Assistance for South Dakota

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of South Dakota and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding during the period of June 2-12, 2008.

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding in the counties of Aurora, Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, Butte, Charles Mix, Clay, Dewey, Douglas, Gregory, Haakon, Hand, Hanson, Hughes, Hutchinson, Jackson, Lawrence, Lyman, McCook, Meade, Mellette, Moody, Perkins, Stanley, Tripp, Turner, and Ziebach and the portions of the Cheyenne River Reservation, the Crow Creek Reservation, and the Lower Brule Reservation that lie within the designated counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and Tribes within the State.

R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Tony Russell as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.