The governor has asked for a presidential disaster declaration to help cover the costs from an early May snowstorm in western South Dakota.  His office says there was more than $7.5 million in damage to public facilities in Bennett, Butte, Harding, Jackson, and Perkins counties. Most of that damage was to rural electric power lines.

The declaration also would help cover snow removal costs in some counties.  If President Bush makes the declaration, the federal government would pay 75 percent of the costs for repairs or snow removal. The state would cover another 10 percent.