FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 6, 1997
CONTACT: Dana Hagerty 202/225-2165
EAST GRAND FORKS, MN -- Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide the Sacred Heart School at 126 3rd Street NW, with $1,575,000 to build a temporary school. The temporary school will be constructed off-site, and is expected to be completed in time for school to start in the Fall.
"This is great news for Sacred Heart School and the people of East Grand Forks," Peterson said. "While Federal funding isn't coming to the area as quickly as we would have liked, the good news is that it is coming, and the folks affected by the flood will not be forgotten."
In the meantime, students will be attending school at the temporary facility. FEMA estimates that if the school is repaired, it will take about a year -- if a decision is made to rebuild, that will take two years.
"The four buildings that housed over 300 students from pre-school through 12th grade at Sacred Heart were all heavily damaged by the flood," Peterson said. "FEMA is still evaluating the damage, trying to determine whether it is more economically feasible to repair it, or rebuild it."