"A half-year ago, much of the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation in north central Montana was under water.
Still in recovery mode, the Chippewa Cree tribe is facing years of work just to get back to where they were before the unprecedented flood hit this small reservation in mid-June last year.
Ted Whitford, a Rocky Boy tribal councilman, estimated that the reservation sustained more than $31 million in flood damages.
The flood washed out roads and destroyed plumbing lines leaving hundreds of homes without water for days. In all, 12 inches of rain fell, over-saturating the ground and shifted the land under a $12 million health clinic rendering it condemned. In August, President Barack Obama ordered a disaster declaration for the reservation and portions of Hill County.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is covering the entire cost for the recovery, including reimbursing the tribe for any rebuilding costs that the tribe incurred before the federal declaration, Whitford said.
It’s a rare move as the federal government usually splits costs with those in the affected area. The tribe’s poor economic state almost certainly factored into FEMA’s decision, Whitford said."
Get the Story:
Rocky Boy’s still recovering from summer flood: Rebuilding efforts could take three years
(Reznet News 1/25)
Related Stories:
Chippewa Cree Tribe increases costs of storm recovery to $32M (10/29)
Sen. Baucus to meet Chippewa
Cree Tribe over storm recovery (10/27)
Chippewa Cree Tribe signs agreement with FEMA for
full funding (8/18)
Editorial: Chippewa
Cree Tribe deserves funds for recovery effort (8/17)
FEMA opens office to support Chippewa Cree Tribe
with recovery (7/21)
Obama signs a
disaster declaration for Rocky Boy's Reservation (7/12)
Chippewa Cree Tribe frustrated by wait for disaster
declaration (7/7)
Chippewa Cree Tribe
waits on disaster declaration after floods (7/6)
FEMA finds at least $6M in damage on Rocky Boy's
Reservation (6/29)
Chippewa Cree Tribe
waits for FEMA flood damage assessment (6/25)
Chippewa Cree Tribe assesses damage after flooding
disaster (6/24)
Chippewa Cree Tribe
declares disaster due to major flooding (6/23)
Chippewa Cree Tribe evacuates homes over flood
emergency (6/21)
Join the Conversation
