The Federal Emergency Management Agency denied an appeal Friday from Gov. Mark Dayton for aid for individuals and businesses affected by floods in northeastern Minnesota in June. Dayton said he was "disappointed" by FEMA's ruling and that he'll ask the state legislature for an estimated $7.4 million in assistance in an upcoming special session.

Gov. Mark Dayton sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Wednesday appealing the government's decision to deny financial assistance to individuals in the wake of the northeastern Minnesota floods in June. Dayton wrote in the letter to FEMA that the rain and floods in the area caused "one of the worst natural disasters in Minnesota’s history."

Gov. Mark Dayton announced in Duluth Friday that he will ask President Barack Obama for a $108 million disaster declaration stemming from last week's floods in northeastern Minnesota. The money will be used to repair damages sustained by public infrastructure in the 13 counties and three tribal areas affected by the flooding.

Governor Dayton ordered state officials to begin preparing an appeal after learning that FEMA has denied federal aid to individual victims of last month's flooding. The agency is providing money for 13 counties to rebuild roads and make other repairs. But money for individual homeowners and businesses was denied.

The disaster declaration for 13 Minnesota counties and three tribal nations devastated by flooding in northeastern Minnesota last month was approved Friday by the federal government. The $108 million in aid only covers damage to public infrastructure.

Gov. Mark Dayton says he's heard that FEMA's regional office determined Minnesotans did qualify for individual flood aid, but was overruled by Washington, likely for budgetary reasons. Dayton says he wants to find out more. The state is appealing this week's decision denying assistance payments to individual homeowners and businesses hit by last month's floods.

U.S. Sen. Al Franken had a busy Saturday visiting several areas damaged in recent flooding in northeastern Minnesota. Franken -- who co-sponsored the state's $108 million disaster declaration with Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar -- made stops in Duluth's Fond du Lac neighborhood, Barnum, Moose Lake and Willow River.

Following his trip to flood-ravaged Duluth, Gov. Mark Dayton says he will survey damage in other cities hit by floods in northeastern Minnesota, including Moose Lake and Carlton. He was going to visit as soon as Saturday, but was asked to hold off because of continuing clean-up efforts in the area.