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."

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.

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.

A request for federal individual assistance for Northeastern Minnesota has been denied. W. Craig Engate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told Gov. Mark Dayton in a letter that damage to dwellings from the flooding that began June 19 “was not of such severity and magnitude as to warrant the implementation of individual assistance.” The state has 30 days to appeal the decision. Gov. Mark Dayton "is very disappointed."

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.

One of the state officials who accompanied federal inspectors on their tour of flood damage says Minnesota will have no trouble passing the $7.1 million threshold to qualify for aid from FEMA. A state Senator from Duluth says the feds typically cover about three-fourths of the cost of repairs to infrastructure, with state and local governments paying the rest.

FEMA officials were on Minnesota's North Shore Wednesday to assess the damage caused by last week's Knife River flooding, which is estimated to be between $1 million to $2 million. FEMA is expected to tour flood damage Thursday in Duluth, as well as affected areas in greater St. Louis and Carlton Counties.

The new maps update the 100-year floodplain. Residents being added to a higher risk zone are urged to contact their insurance agents. FEMA is also revising Fargo's flood maps.