President Trump Approves Montana’s Emergency Declaration Request
The approval comes after the elected officials sent a letter to Trump on Tuesday asking for federal assistance to support Lincoln and Sanders counties and the Blackfeet Nation as flooding triggers states of emergency in northwest Montana
By Lauren Frick
Gov. Greg Gianforte on Friday announced President Donald Trump approved Montana’s statewide elected officials’ request for a presidential emergency declaration to respond to flooding in northwest Montana.
The approval comes after the elected officials sent a letter to Trump on Tuesday asking for federal assistance to support Lincoln and Sanders counties and the Blackfeet Nation as flooding triggers states of emergency across the region.
The presidential emergency declaration authorizes up to $5 million in federal funds for “emergency response measures to support the health and safety of Montanans,” according to the press release. For federal support exceeding this $5 million, the president must report to Congress, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“Thanks to President Trump’s quick response, Montana is securing the additional resources our communities need to respond to this emergency,” Gianforte said in the press release. “While we assess the damage caused to critical infrastructure, this federal support will ensure the continued health and safety of all Montanans affected.”
The federal declaration follows a series of local and state declarations in response to severe weather that’s resulted in ongoing power outages, flooding and damaged infrastructure across the region.
Beginning Dec. 8, a prolonged atmospheric river event impacted northwest Montana, bringing sustained rainfall and warm temperatures that led to widespread flooding. In the presidential emergency declaration request, Gianforte outlined that the extreme conditions led to infrastructure damage, including the failure of the Lower Flower Creek Dam in Lincoln County and numerous roads and bridges.
The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council and Lincoln County both declared states of emergency last week in response to ongoing flooding, while the Flathead County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday declared a local emergency in response to a windstorm that left thousands of residents without power.
As additional damage assessments are completed, Montana Disaster and Emergency Services will coordinate with the governor to request a major disaster declaration, according to Friday’s press release.
A major disaster declaration request is required to cover disaster related costs that exceed this initial support.
The President can declare a major disaster declaration for any natural event that has caused damage of such severity that it is beyond the combined capabilities of state and local governments to respond, according to FEMA. A major disaster declaration provides a wide range of federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including funds for both emergency and permanent work.