Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

March 11, 2010

Disaster Declaration Months Late for South Dakota


FEMA DISASTER: Spring is just around the corner and South Dakota is finally designated a disaster from December storms

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

In one of the most pitiful delayed actions, the Obama administration's FEMA declared a disaster in South Dakota, months after the winter storms that first devastated the state in December.
While Lakotas from Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River Sioux and elsewhere in the Dakotas pleaded for aid in January and February, their pleas were ignored by the Obama administration. Cheyenne River Sioux were without electricity for weeks and fresh water for more than six days.
Indian Nations and individuals rallied to help the Lakotas blasted by repeated winter storms in December, January and February. An online campaign urging CNN to cover the disaster in the Dakotas only resulted in one brief mention.
While most attention was focused on Haiti, Lakotas suffered.
Now that spring is just around the corner, here's the disaster declaration:

FEMA announces major disaster declarations for Kansas and South Dakota
Disaster Assistance Examiner Freda Barksdale
Tuesday, March 9, 2010, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), announced President Obama has approved the use of federal disaster aid to assist the States of Kansas and South Dakota. The disaster aid will be used to assist the States in recovering from damage caused by severe winter storms and snowstorms that pounded the States during December and January.
Specifically, the funding will be provided on a cost-sharing basis to the States, eligible local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and repair or replacement of roads, bridges, schools, utilities, and other public facilities damaged by the event. Additional assistance for emergency protective measure, including snow assistance have been made available to both States.
Funding for hazard mitigation has been approved statewide for both States, on a cost-sharing basis.
Kansas
Event type: Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm
Event Date: December 22, 2009 to January 8, 2010
Counties included in declaration: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clay, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Doniphan, Elk, Franklin, Gove, Graham, Greenwood, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Labette, Linn, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, Miami, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Norton, Osage, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Rawlins, Republic, Riley, Shawnee, Sheridan, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wilson, Woodson, and Wyandotte
South Dakota
Event Type: Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm
Event Date: December 23, 2009 to December 27, 2009
Counties included in declaration: Campbell, Clay, Gregory, Jones, Lyman, Mellette, Perkins, Shannon, Todd, Tripp, Turner, and Yankton and the portions of the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rosebud Reservation that lie within the designated counties

Federal Aid Programs For South Dakota Disaster Recovery
Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama's major disaster declaration issued for South Dakota.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s major disaster declaration issued for South Dakota.
Assistance for the State and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:
• Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. ( Source: FEMA funded, state administered. )
• Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for removing debris from public areas and for emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. ( Source: FEMA funded, state administered. )
• Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. ( Source: FEMA funded, state administered. )
How to Apply for Assistance:
• Application procedures for local governments will be explained at a series of federal/state applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the state from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

1 comment:

tbanick said...

MY HEART GOES OUT TO THESE INDIANS.
I WAS HOPEING OBAMA WOULD HELPO MORE THEN SOME IN THE PAST. I SEE
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER THE INDIANS ALWAYS GET THE SHORT END OF THE STICK. I PRAY THE AID COMES TO ALL THOSE IN NEED.