President Donald Trump on Wednesday approved a federal disaster declaration providing nearly $40 million for the state of Minnesota.
The relief comes after extreme spring weather caused heavy flooding and substantial damage in 51 counties and four tribal territories.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz joined the WCCO Morning News with Dave Lee and said it's good to see federal money get used in Minnesota."Minnesotans help out all the time with our tax dollars for hurricanes and flooding," Walz said. "This was our time to use a little of those federal tax dollars that we pay and they'll be coming back to us."
Some of the $40 million will be used for permanent mitigation. "We know that some of these areas that continuously flood," he said. "We just have to have permanent mitigation so we don't pay for the same thing over and over. This should help us do that."
Gov. Walz sent President Trump a letter in late May asking him to approve the major disaster declaration. FEMA will pay 75 percent of eligible expenses. The state will cover the other 25 percent from the Disaster Assistance Contingency Account.
