$21 million in hazard mitigation grants to help protect against disaster

BISMARCK, ND – Gov. John Hoeven today announced that the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services will award $20.8 million in grants through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. These funds are used to significantly reduce or permanently eliminate future risk from natural hazards.

HMGP grants are the result of a presidential disaster declaration secured by Hoeven in the aftermath of severe statewide flooding last spring. All grant awards are contingent upon each county having an approved Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan in place.

The Department of Emergency Services will award an additional $5.6 million in the coming months, for a total of $26.4 million. The grants are composed of 75 percent federal, 15 percent local and 10 percent state funding.

“Hazard mitigation grants are an important tool in our effort to fight flooding before it happens,” Hoeven said. “Shoring up defenses and reducing the risk to people and property are critical to a good flood defense, and those are the things that this funding is designed to provide.”

A total of thirty-three projects will be funded statewide totaling over $15 million. Projects include acquisitions or buy outs in Crary, Linton, Lisbon, Mott, Penn, Barnes County, Cass County, Grand Forks County, LaMoure County, Nelson County and Traill County. Other projects include improvements to public infrastructure.

For a complete list of grants awarded, please visit the following website: http://www.nd.gov/des/uploads/resources/574/hmgp-grantranks-1829.pdf.

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