State To Pay Local Share Of Flood Disaster Relief Money Will Go Toward Repairs For Dikes And Debris Removal

Idaho Gov. Phil Batt says the state will pick up the local share as well as its own to match federal disaster assistance funds for recovery from last February’s North Idaho flooding.

In a statement issued from the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, Batt said more than $306,000 in state funds has been allocated for the local government share of the matching money for more than $1 million in aid from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

“The North Idaho economy has been devastated by the flooding that occurred earlier this year, and this money will help alleviate some of the financial strain,” the governor said. “We need to do everything we can to keep them on the road to recovery.”

The money will underwrite restoration of damaged dikes and levees and removing debris. Batt had earlier said the state would pick up the entire 25 percent matching portion for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Losses from the flooding have been estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, and a special task force is assessing how best to pay for major projects that have not yet been budgeted for.