Response to federal disaster aid request for June storms delayed more than usual, ND official says

BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota is still waiting on a response to its request for federal disaster relief to help communities damaged by June tornadoes.

Gov. Kelly Armstrong requested federal disaster relief on July 21 for the June 20-21 storms.

Most federal disaster requests are resolved within 30 days, but some can be approved within two weeks, Darin Hanson, North Dakota’s emergency management director, said during a meeting Wednesday.

“We’re well beyond that 30 days now, obviously,” Hanson told members of the North Dakota Emergency Commission. “I do expect to see some sort of an answer here not too much farther after Oct. 1 at the worst case scenario.”

The Emergency Commission on Wednesday gave the Department of Emergency Services the authority to spend about $16 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and about $2 million in state funds – contingent on the presidential disaster request being approved.

Hanson said the emergency funds will be issued to local subdivisions to cover costs such as road damages and debris cleanup operations. The June storms included 20 confirmed tornados, baseball-size hail and straight-line winds over 100 mph. Nineteen North Dakota counties are part of the federal disaster relief request.

“One of the other large pieces is the electrical co-ops,” he said. “They got a lot of damage from this storm.”

The delay in federal approval comes as other states have seen disaster requests denied by FEMA during President Donald Trump’s second term. In May, Stateline reported that denials included relief requests for tornadoes in Arkansas, flooding in West Virginia and a windstorm in Washington. FEMA also denied a request that would have extended relief for victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.

Amrstrong last week also requested federal disaster aid for August storms.

In a joint letter to Trump from North Dakota Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and North Dakota U.S. House Rep. Julie Fedorchak, the lawmakers said they support Armstrong’s request for federal disaster relief from the storms in June, as well as more recent storms in August.

They added the size and scope of the storm damage across the state would “entirely deplete” state and local emergency funds and would leave nothing available for future disasters.