Daugaard requests presidential disaster declaration for December storm

Jan. 23--Gov. Dennis Daugaard Monday requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration to help South Dakota recover from a late December storm that did more than $9.1 million in damage to public property.

The request covers public assistance in 24 counties, including Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Marshall, McPherson and Roberts counties in northeastern South Dakota, according to a news release from the state.

In a letter to President Donald Trump, Daugaard says the storm started Dec. 24 and continued through the 26th. Blizzard conditions, high winds and freezing ice led to broken power poles, downed electrical lines and stranded motorists, according to the release. Three deaths were associated with the storm.

Earlier this month, Daugaard requested that FEMA help the state Office of Emergency Management verify the public property damage information provided by the counties. That work was done last week according to the release.

The request is necessary for federal disaster funds to be made available to South Dakota. If the president grants the declaration, up to 75 percent of eligible costs could be reimbursed by the government. The governor's request does not guarantee that funding will be made available to South Dakota, according to the release.

Counties covered

The request covers public assistance in 24 counties: Butte, Clark, Codington, Day, Deuel, Dewey, Edmunds, Fall River, Faulk, Grant, Haakon, Hamlin, Harding, Jackson, Jones, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Pennington, Perkins, Roberts, Stanley, Sully and Ziebach. Also included is the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe within Dewey and Ziebach counties and the Oglala Sioux Tribe within Jackson County.

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