Bush declares bridge collapse a disaster

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- President George W. Bush signed an order Tuesday declaring that the collapse of a highway bridge in Minneapolis is a disaster.

The president's action authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist state and local agencies dealing with the aftermath of the collapse. It also authorizes 75 percent federal funding for emergency protection.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty requested the disaster declaration Monday, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported, telling the president that rescue and recovery efforts alone had cost the state and Hennepin County more than $8 million.

The 40-year-old Interstate 35W bridge failed during the evening rush hour on Aug. 1, killing 13 people. On Monday, divers found the body of the last victim, Gregory Jolstad of Mora, Minn., a construction worker who was working on the bridge.

The end of the recovery effort means that the state can now begin to clear the channel, reopening a major transport route.

Bush was scheduled to visit Minnesota late Tuesday afternoon for a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn.

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