KQDS

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) said she’s working with Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) to get federal aid dollars to help the home and business owners struggling to stay afloat in the flood-submerged International Falls Area.

The Senators joined Gov. Tim Walz in touring the area Saturday, seeing firsthand the damages to homes and businesses, and the thousands of sandbags being filled and laid daily to keep them dry.

After seeing the extent of the roads, bridges, and more public infrastructure taking on water, Sen. Klobuchar said she and fellow Senator Tina Smith will make the case to President Biden to declare it a federal disaster area.

“To do that they’ve got to make a $9.3 million threshold for the entire swath of the storm up there and the flooding in Northern Minnesota,” she said Monday. “I think they’re going to make that cut.”

That’s the threshold for the federal government to foot 75% of the bill for damage to public infrastructure.

“I’ve been up in International Falls before when there was the last major flood back a few years ago and I had not seen anything like this,” said the Senator. “This is projected to crest and, hasn’t even done it yet, in another week or so, and then it’s not going to go away right away.”

“The state could pick up the tab, but it would be a lot easier if the Federal Government did the 75%,” she said.

Senator Klobuchar said people shouldn’t forget that there are still resorts still open in the International Falls area, and volunteers are still sorely needed for sandbagging.

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