Obama declares disaster at Rocky Boy, Hill County

President Barack Obama over the weekend approved a request from Gov. Brian Schweitzer, declaring a disaster on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation and in Hill County resulting from severe storms and flooding starting June 15.

"Number one, the Tribe is very pleased that he declared a disast e r , " N e a l R o s e t t e , Chippewa Cree Tr ibal publ i c information officer, said thi s morning. "It's going to mean some sorely needed federal assistance on the damage. We couldn't be happier." Rosette said it also means the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be working as a full partner in cleaning up and repairing the damage.

"It's also going to mean a lot of hard work," Rosette said.

He said the work is ongoing. All but two evacuated families have been returned to their homes, and work continues on the water supply, which is still breaking down and having problems almost as quickly as the workers can fix the lines. The entire reservation is under a boil order for drinking water.

"It's not helping when it rains an inch-and-a-half of rain over the weekend," he added.

Schweitzer requested that Obama make the presidential disaster declaration effective June 29.

Montana state and federal officials applauded the declaration.

"We are thankful the president recognized the severity of this situation and acted quickly" Schweitzer said in a statement Saturday, the day Obama made the declaration. "Now the recovery process can continue with the assurance that expenses will be covered and measures will be taken to make these areas safer for future events." Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., and Democratic Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester all have been in contact with Tribal officials including council Chair Raymond "Jake" Parker, and Tester Also toured the damage June 26.

All three said they would work to make sure assistance comes as quickly as possible.

Because the Rocky Boy damage occurred on a sovereign Indian reservation, Schweitzer cannot use state disaster or emergency funds to help repair the damage. The state has allocated $70,700 in grant and trust funds to help.

The assessment of damage, done by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal and state agencies, estimated the damage at $6 million, with $2.3 eligible for federal disaster assistance.

Massive damage occurred The flooding, coming barely two weeks after severe flooding in May due to snowmelt and heavy rains, again swamped Beaver Creek Park south of Havre and lowland areas on Beaver Creek north to its confluence with the Milk River. It also led to flooding in lowland areas in Blaine County.

The most severe damage, though, was on Rocky Boy.

After more than five inches of rain fell in two days on ground already saturated, flooding creeks wiped out water mains; destroyed roads, bridges and culverts; and damaged property, including public and private buildings.

The flooding led to 50 families being evacuated to Havre.

Rosette said the Tribal employees are working to get the last two families back as soon as possible.

The flood also took out the Tribe's new $12-million health care facility. Its services are set up in temporary locations for now. When or if the new clinic can be repaired — or replaced — still is unknown.

Feds approve assistance Rosette said the timing of the declaration is excellent . The Tr ibe has been using i t s own money for more than three weeks for necessities such as housing and feeding evacuees, draini n g f l o o d e d a r e a s a n d repairing roads.

"Our Tribal finances are getting pretty drained," he said.

The request for an agricultural disaster to be declared by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture still is pending. That also could free up funds from USDA to be used for agricultural damage, as well as giving access to programs, such as through USDA Rural Development, that could help pay for damage to infrastructure, public buildings and businesses.

While the state Disaster and Emergency Services said in a press release that the presidential declaration will not provide funds for assistance to individuals and households — while dozens of homes were damaged, it appears only two were severely flooded.

Tribal officials said last week that other assistance may be available to them.

The presidential declaration does allow aid for Rocky Boy and the Hill County government to pay for emergency work and to repair or replace damaged facilities. It also allows application for hazard mitigation programs to help pay for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards.

Further investigation of the damage could lead to other disaster designations, the release said.

Rosette said, especially with FEMA now working as a full partner in the efforts, things could start to move more quickly.

Tribal employees have been working for more than a week to prepare plans and paperwork that now can go into effect, he added.

"We're hoping to get back to some kind of normalcy, but it's going to take a while," he said.