In the News

Dear Governor Walz,

We write to urge you to immediately submit a Major Disaster Declaration request for the communities impacted by the recent flooding across Minnesota. Numerous communities were severely impacted by the torrential rain, including major flood events and risks in areas such as Le Sueur County, St. Louis County, and the cities of Windom, Henderson, Northfield, and Faribault. You’ve said yourself that recent events in St. Louis County represent the second-largest natural disaster in three decades. Our constituents desperately need swift assistance to rebuild their communities.

As you know, the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act requires that “All requests for a declaration by the President that a major disaster exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State.1” This request must be made no later than 30 days after the incident. In the past, your office has requested extensions to submit the request for federal assistance later than this 30-day window. Our communities cannot afford to wait this time. They need federal assistance as quickly as possible.

The damage from this flooding has impacted many Minnesotan families. Homes, businesses, community buildings, and public areas are underwater. We ask that you immediately request a Major Disaster Declaration to help unlock federal resources for these people. Once your request is submitted, we wilJ also caJI on President Biden and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to act swiftly to approve your request and get these resources to our state.