President Bush issued a limited presidential disaster declaration June 25 for the waterlogged Minnesota counties of Fillmore, Houston, Freeborn and Mower. The declaration means that federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and repair or replacement of facilities.

The announcement follows more than 125 other county disaster declarations throughout the Midwest battling the aftermath of severe storms, flooding and tornadoes in early June, comes on the heals of a request made two weeks ago by Governor Tim Pawlenty for the area.

“Without being declared, all the money we spend on recovery efforts and clean up will come out of the county,” Houston County Sheriff Doug Ely said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized public assistance to state and local governments as well as nonprofit organizations to fix or replace an estimated $8.3 million in damages to public infrastructure and buildings. FEMA teams began assessment of damage totals last week, Ely said.

The declaration does not cover individual homeowners.

Fillmore and Houston counties, which were still recovering from last August’s flood, suffered a combined $6 million in public infrastructure damage. Ely said the county is still paying off $3 million borrowed in the wake of last year’s floods and the recent federal declaration will help shoulder some of the most recent disaster cost.

Agricultural damage is estimated at more than $15 million in Houston County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistic Service gave its first assessments of crop losses in a June 30 report and will follow up with a more detailed August 12 crop production report.

Bush’s announcement comes on the heels of letters from Gov. Tim Pawlenty, U.S. Rep. Tim Walz and U.S. Sens. Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar, who urged Bush for a declaration.

The declaration for public infrastructure is the first step in bringing relief and recovery to southeast Minnesota communities, Klobuchar said in a telephone interview from Washington, D.C.

Further assistance will come from U.S. Small Business Administration loans and the Farm Bill’s disaster relief, she said.

“There’s always frustration with FEMA and with government, but I think people have had some experience in this flood area and they know what the rules are,” Klobuchar said.

Ryan Stotts contributed to this report