Biden approves disaster aid for the Native Village of Kipnuk after August 2024 storm and flooding

President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for the Native Village of Kipnuk on January 2, 2025, after a severe storm and flooding hit the Tribal Nation from August 16 to August 18, 2024. The declaration made federal funding available to the Native Village of Kipnuk and certain private nonprofits for emergency work and repair or replacement of damaged facilities. It also made hazard-mitigation funding available for the Tribal Nation. The action mattered because tribal disaster declarations recognize a Tribal Nation’s direct relationship with the federal government and can unlock recovery support without routing every request through a state government.