Biden approves disaster declaration for Missoula, Powell counties

President Joe Biden has signed a presidential disaster declaration for Missoula and Powell counties to assist recovery efforts following a destructive July windstorm, Gov. Greg Gianforte said on Friday. 

Gianforte requested the federal government declare a disaster last week, estimating the cost of damages at around $3.7 million.

“We will continue to come alongside our communities as they respond and recover from the major windstorm,” Gianforte said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Fallen trees are shown in the aftermath of a July 24 storm in Missoula.

BEN ALLAN SMITH, Missoulian

The approval of the presidential disaster declaration means that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, can now reimburse a majority of government spending for infrastructure damage and storm response.  

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A strong storm hammered Missoula on July 24 with hurricane-force winds, knocking over thousands of trees and cutting power to tens of thousands of people within the Missoula Valley.

Both the city and county declared an emergency within 24 hours of the storm, and the state followed suit the

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