For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 14, 2003
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 a severe winter storm,
record/near-record snow, heavy rains, flooding, and landslides on
February 16, 2003, and continuing.
The President's action makes Federal funding available to
affected individuals in a seven county area. The counties include
Cabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Mingo, Roane, and Wayne.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home
repairs, 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 is also available to the State and
eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for the repair or
replacement of public facilities damaged by the severe winter
storm, record/near record snow, heavy rains, flooding, and landslides
in the counties of Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Gilmer,
Greenbrier, Jackson, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, McDowell, Mercer,
Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Putnam, Raleigh, Roane, Upshur, Wayne,
Webster, Wirt and Wyoming.
In addition, assistance for emergency protective measures
that were undertaken to save lives and protect public health,
safety and property over a 48-hour period is available to the
State and eligible local governments in the counties of
Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan, Pocahontas,
and Preston that experienced record/near record snowfall.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-share basis
for hazard mitigation measures for the counties of Cabell, Kanawha,
Lincoln, Mingo and Wayne.
Representing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
Michael D. Brown, Acting Under Secretary for Emergency
Preparedness and Response, Department of Homeland Security, named
Louis Botta 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 for assistance after the
assessments are completed.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.
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