Governors Seek Federal Disaster Aid for Storm Damage in South Dakota and New York

In late July 2026, South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden formally requested a presidential major disaster declaration covering eight counties and two reservations after severe storms caused widespread damage, including flooding in the Sioux Falls area. Separately, New York Governor Kathy Hochul appealed the federal government's denial of a major disaster declaration request tied to a severe winter storm and blizzard that struck New York on February 22-23, 2026. Rhoden's request, submitted through state emergency management channels, seeks federal funding to assist affected counties and reservations with storm recovery costs, though specific damage estimates were not detailed in available reporting. Hochul's appeal took the form of a letter addressed to President Trump, asking him to reverse the prior denial of New York's disaster declaration request for the February storm. Both requests represent formal steps in the federal disaster declaration process, which requires presidential approval to unlock federal emergency funding and assistance for affected states. As of the reporting dates, neither request had received a final federal decision reflected in available sources: South Dakota's request was newly submitted as of July 27, 2026, and New York's appeal was pending as of July 1, 2026, following the initial denial. The scope of damage, total cost estimates, and timeline for a federal response in either case remain unresolved based on available reporting. It is also unclear whether the two events are related or occurred independently as separate regional storm systems.