Flathead County included in disaster relief program

Flathead County is now included under a federal disaster relief program to financially assist areas of Montana affected by historic flooding in June, Gov. Greg Gianforte’s office announced last week.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday made the Public Assistance Program available for qualifying entities in Flathead County. The program provides supplemental federal grant assistance for debris removal and the restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities, and specific facilities of certain private nonprofit organizations, according to the Governor’s Office.

Parts of Flathead County were swamped with floodwaters in June as bouts of heavy rainfall combined with mountain snowmelt caused area rivers to rise above flood stage.

After touring the flooding on June 20, Gianforte said he would look to add Flathead County to the major disaster declaration issued by President Biden for areas affected by flooding around Yellowstone Park in southwest Montana.

Carbon, Park and Stillwater counties were approved for the federal Individual Assistance Program in June. On Friday, FEMA also approved the Individual Assistance Program for Yellowstone County. The program offers financial aid to individuals whose homes or businesses were damaged by the flooding.

“I appreciate Administrator Deanne Criswell and her team at FEMA for working with us to quickly review and approve both Individual Assistance and Public Assistance for Montanans impacted by recent flooding,” Gov. Gianforte said in a press release. “These programs will help Montanans get back on their feet as we rebuild and recover.”

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, under the Public Assistance Program the SBA can lend private nonprofits up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

The administration can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

Private nonprofit organizations should contact Bureau Chief Jake Ganieany of the Montana Department of Military Affairs by calling (406) 417-9234 or emailing jake.ganieany@mt.gov to obtain information about applicant briefings.

For more information about the FEMA flooding relief programs in Montana visit https://floodrecovery.mt.gov/