County declares drought emergency
By Jack Dura
Farmer Staff Writer
McKenzie County has declared a drought emergency until further notice.
McKenzie County commissioners approved the drought emergency declaration at their Aug. 1 meeting from emergency manager Karolin Jappe’s request in the wake of Gov. Doug Burgum’s drought disaster declaration for much of North Dakota.
“These extreme drought conditions represent a serious economic hardship for our farmers, ranchers and the entire state, while also putting firefighters under considerable stress,” Burgum said. “This disaster declaration is another step toward providing relief where it’s most needed.”
Declaring the emergency now is a good precaution, Jappe said, for making available Federal Emergency Management Agency dollars if eventually needed.
McKenzie County State’s Attorney Chas Neff Jr. told commissioners there is no timeframe for the county’s declaration to expire, but is intended to help designate any federal aid to areas affected by the drought.
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