Feds OK St. Louis County disaster declaration due to floods

President Trump has approved a disaster declaration for damaging waves and flooding in St. Louis County last fall.

Then-Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton wrote to Trump late last year, requesting the declaration for storm damage in October.

Dayton's successor, Gov. Tim Walz, announced the major disaster declaration Tuesday.

The federal government will reimburse local governments in St. Louis County 75 percent of their eligible costs for emergency work and for repairing and replacing public facilities and infrastructure. The state of Minnesota will reimburse the remaining 25 percent.

The city of Duluth estimated the storm caused $18.4 million in damage along Lake Superior. Damaged areas included the popular Lakewalk from Canal Park on the harbor up the shore to Leif Erickson Park, and the sidewalk behind the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.