Trump approves FEMA relief for Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, other areas

CASS LAKE — President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe on Thursday, Oct. 23.

Federal disaster assistance is available to members of the Leech Lake band to supplement recovery efforts in areas affected by the severe storms and straight-line winds that knocked down thousands of trees in the western segment of the reservation on June 21.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, as well as funds to replace personal property. The Leech Lake Band is also eligible to receive federal funding on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the storm.

Tribal members who sustained losses on or near the designated area should first file a claim with their insurance provider and then apply for assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362.

Major disaster declarations signed by the president Thursday included $25 million for coastal Alaska impacted by a former typhoon earlier this month, as well as areas impacted by storms and tornadoes in Missouri and North Dakota in the spring.

The president rejected disaster declarations for Illinois, Vermont and Maryland, where historic flooding wiped out significant infrastructure.

While Beltrami County and the Bemidji area fell short of the $10.7 million threshold to pursue a federal disaster declaration with the state from the same storm, the Leech Lake Band is entitled to apply for assistance independently of Minnesota as a tribe.