Central ND News

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has submitted a request for a presidential major disaster declaration following a severe winter ice storm that caused significant damage across the state. The storm, which occurred from December 25 to December 27, 2023, left more than 20,000 residents without power for multiple days and destroyed over 2,000 electrical poles.

The request for assistance was made on January 26, 2024, and includes 13 counties that were severely affected by the ice storm. These counties are Barnes, Cass, Dickey, Grant, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Stutsman, and Traill. While other counties were also impacted, the damages in these areas did not exceed the required per capita thresholds set by the governor.

In support of North Dakota's request, U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven, along with U.S. Representative Kelly Armstrong, sent a letter to President Biden advocating for a major disaster declaration. The delegation highlighted the preliminary damage assessments, which estimate damages to be over $11.5 million.

"Preliminary Damage Assessments indicate more than $11.5 million in expected damages," the delegation wrote in their letter. "North Dakota continues to recover from the late December ice storm and is therefore requesting a major disaster declaration for 13 counties. [...] We support the State's request and urge you to approve it as soon as possible so the necessary Federal resources can be made available to North Dakotans."

The North Dakota delegation emphasized the urgency of the situation and the importance of federal assistance in helping the state recover from the ice storm. They expressed their gratitude to President Biden for his prompt attention to their request and offered to provide any additional information that may be needed.

Governor Doug Burgum and the North Dakota delegation's united front demonstrates their commitment to supporting the affected communities and ensuring that the necessary resources are made available for recovery efforts. With a major disaster declaration, North Dakota will be able to access federal assistance to help residents and businesses rebuild and recover from the devastating effects of the winter storm.

The request for a major disaster declaration is now in the hands of President Biden, who will consider the extent of the damages and the need for federal aid. North Dakotans are hopeful that their plea for assistance will be granted swiftly, allowing the state to begin the recovery process and restore normalcy to the affected areas.