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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz today announced that 22 counties, including Freeborn County, have been approved for a federal disaster declaration by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for severe flooding over the last two weeks.

The declaration will provide resources to reimburse communities fordebris removal, emergency protective measures, and repair and replacement of damaged infrastructure.

This announcement comes after Walz sent a letter to the president, requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration. On Friday, Walz and FEMA Regional Administrator Tom Sivak provided an update on the state’s flood outlook and ongoing emergency response.

“I’ve seen the damage across our state firsthand —it’s going to take a united effort at every level of government to quickly rebuild and recover. This assistance is going to make all the difference in that recovery,” said Walz.“I’m grateful to our partners in the federal government for doing their part, just as Minnesotans have done theirs, filling tens of thousands of sandbags, checking in on their neighbors, and volunteering their time.”

The counties approved for public assistance include:

• Blue Earth
• Carver
• Cass
• Cook
• Cottonwood
• Faribault
• Fillmore
• Freeborn
• Goodhue
• Jackson
• Lake
• Le Sueur
• Murray
• Nobles
• Pipestone
• Rice
• Rock
• St. Louis
• Steele
• Wabasha
• Waseca
• Watonwan

Damage assessments are ongoing and additional counties and forms of assistance may be added once the assessments are completed.