Gianforte asks Biden for disaster declaration for May flooding in north-central Montana

Provided by Gov. Greg Gianforte's Office.

Gov. Greg Gianforte has requested a presidential major disaster declaration from President Joe Biden so federal money can be used to help cleanup and repair efforts in areas of north-central Montana ravaged by heavy rain and snowstorms in early May.

Gianforte sent his ask for aid in Blaine, Chouteau, Fergus, Hill, Judith Basin, Petroleum, Pondera, Teton, Toole and Wheatland counties, as well as Rocky Boy’s and the Fort Belknap reservations, to Biden on Friday. It had not been granted as of Wednesday afternoon.

From May 5 through May 9 , those counties saw winds gusting to 70 miles per hour, heavy snow at the higher elevations including 1-3 feet in the Little Belt Mountains, and several inches of rain that flooded roads, snapped trees and destroyed electrical infrastructure.

“While some repairs have already been completed, there are several areas that endured complex extensive damages that will require time, funding, and engineering support to bring back to pre-disaster condition,” Gianforte wrote in his request. “Most of the impacted areas are extremely rural or are considered Indian Reservation land with a small tax base spread out over a large area. The factors listed above make recovery from this disaster beyond the capabilities of the local emergency fund and the Montana State Disaster fund.”

Gianforte activated the State Emergency Coordination Center on May 8 in response to the storms, then declared a flood disaster on May 24.

His ask for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency says the Fort Belknap Indian Community suffered washouts and damage to the road that provides access to their powwow grounds that are currently inaccessible, and Rocky Boy’s reservation saw homes damaged as well as a retaining wall near the school.

It says several electric co-ops suffered infrastructure damage, having lines or poles snap because of heavy snow and wind, and that they need to be able to recoup repair costs in order to stay functional.

Gianforte told Biden that roads, schools and electric co-op facilities saw more than $3.3 million worth of damage. County per capita losses were between $7.17 and $166.24, Gianforte wrote.

“The damages this event incurred to local roads and electrical systems is extensive, putting a financial burden on the communities and electric co-ops,” the governor wrote. “Furthermore, some of these counties were affected by, and are still recovering from, two declared flooding disasters from 2023.”

Montana had two major disaster declarations and one fire management assistance declaration issued last year, including in some of the same counties for flooding that happened last April and June .

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