For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 4, 2001
Statement by the Press Secretary
The President today declared a major disaster
exists in the State of West
Virginia and ordered Federal aid
to supplement state and local recovery
efforts in the area struck by severe
storms, flooding, and landslides beginning on May 15, 2001, and
continuing.
The
President's action makes Federal funding available to affected
individuals in the counties of Boone, Kanawha, Logan,
Mercer, Raleigh, and Wyoming.
Assistance can include disaster
housing, grants, low-cost loans to cover
uninsured property losses, and other programs to
help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the
disaster.
Federal funding also is available to
eligible local governments in the
counties of Boone, Clay, Lincoln, Logan, Mercer, Raleigh,
Wayne, and Wyoming. Assistance is available on a
cost-sharing basis for the repair or
replacement of public facilities
damaged by the severe storms, flooding,
and landslides. Federal funding is
also available on a cost share basis for hazard mitigation measures.
Joe M. Allbaugh, Director of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency
(FEMA), named Charles M. Butler
as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in
the affected area.
The Agency said that damage surveys
are continuing in other areas, and additional counties may be added
after the assessments are completed.
The Agency said that residents and business owners who
sustained losses in
the designated counties can begin applying for
assistance tomorrow by calling 1-800-462-9029, or
1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.
The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.
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