Gov. Mark Dayton is asking President Obama to declare a federal disaster in six Minnesota counties after a government agency failed to recognize summer flood damage that devastated parts of the state.
June was a record-setting month for rainfall in Minnesota, with more than 10 inches of rain that caused severe flooding and property damage. Obama announced a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 32 counties, but damage assessments have yet to be finalized for the state's largest counties: Dakota, Ramsey and Hennepin.
Homeland Security and Emergency Management staff identified damage in these larger counties, but the Federal Emergency Managment Agency (FEMA) disputed that information. Dayton asked Obama on Friday to "direct FEMA to recognize and finalize" Minnesota's damage assessments in the outstanding counties and declare a federal disaster in Lyon, Watonwan, Wright, Dakota, Ramsey and Hennepin counties.
