FEMA Aid Tops $2.9 Million for Response Costs and Infrastructure Repairs Following 2024 South Dakota Flooding

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.– In just over three months since President Biden’s major disaster declaration for South Dakota, FEMA has approved more than $2.9 million in aid to South Dakota communities. 

FEMA’s Public Assistance Program (PA) is a grant program which provides funding for rebuilding necessary infrastructure to state and local governments and certain types of private nonprofit organizations following a presidential disaster declaration. Assistance is also available for debris removal and emergency protective measures taken to promote public safety. The federal cost share for eligible work is no less than 75 percent. 

The PA program was approved for 25 South Dakota counties - Aurora, Bennett, Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Clay, Davison, Douglas, Gregory, Hand, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jackson, Lake, Lincoln, McCook, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Sanborn, Tripp, Turner, Union, and Yankton. FEMA and the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management have been working with a total of 219 eligible applicants identifying infrastructure damage and response costs for potential reimbursement. Applicants can include jurisdictions such as counties, cities, townships, school districts and others, as well as certain private non-profits organizations.

FEMA, the state, and the individual applicant work together to review disaster impact and create projects to reimburse the applicant. Site inspections are then conducted to document damage and develop a scope of work for the project. Once this is completed, projects are reviewed at a central processing site with additional supporting documentation collected prior to funding approval. All initial site inspections for the South Dakota disaster have been completed. To date, 84 projects have been approved with a total federal cost share of $2,922,482.18. When all work is completed, more than 400 projects are expected statewide.

To learn more about FEMA’s Public Assistance program, go to www.fema.gov/assistance/public. For more information on the South Dakota disaster recovery go to www.fema.gov/disaster/4807.