Minnesota Ag Connection - FEMA Extends Removal Date for Drayton Levee

Minnesota Ag News Headlines

FEMA Extends Removal Date for Drayton Levee
Minnesota Ag Connection - 07/21/2016

Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota Wednesday announced that, at his request, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved Drayton's request for a six-month extension for the city to remove an earthen levee built on land acquired through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Last month, Hoeven spoke with Roy Wright, Deputy Associate Administrator for Insurance and Mitigation at FEMA, who agreed to work with the senator and the city to secure the extension. FEMA Region 8 plans to notify the city of the extension today.

"I'm pleased that FEMA has granted our request," Hoeven said. "In the meantime, I have already moved legislation through the Appropriations Committee that would allow us to keep levees permanently on land acquired with federal funds as long as it's part of a flood protection plan. That will help us in Fargo and other North Dakota communities as well as in Drayton. I'm working to get that legislation passed by year end to address the issue permanently."

As chairman of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Committee, the senator has included legislation that will authorize FEMA to allow Drayton and other cities to retain levees permanently as long as the "construction constitutes part of a flood control project, is constructed of naturally-occurring materials, and conforms to other criteria as established by FEMA policy."

The properties in question were acquired through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program as part of the 1997 flood disaster that affected the Grand Forks region.

Other Minnesota Headlines