Thursday, August 28, 2003
The funds would pay 75 percent of costs for damage to public facilities.
STAFF/WIRE REPORT
PITTSBURGH -- President Bush has declared six northwest Pennsylvania counties that were raked by storms last month major disaster areas, clearing the way for financial assistance for public property and infrastructure.
Crawford, Forest, McKean, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties are included on the list, as of Saturday. Damage surveys continue, and other counties may be added to the list, said Michael D. Brown, undersecretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Department of Homeland Security.
The counties were pummeled on and off from July 21 to 28 by heavy rains and high winds.
Federal disaster relief will mean help repairing culverts and washed-out roads, said John Nicklin, Mercer County's acting emergency management director.
Gov. Ed Rendell asked the federal government to declare eight counties disaster areas earlier this month after at least five tornados swept across the region, including one that caused the collapse of the massive Kinzua Viaduct in McKean County.
Cost-sharing
The money is issued on a cost-sharing basis for the state and local governments where storms and ensuing floods caused damage to public facilities. Federal funds would pay 75 percent of approved costs for everything from debris removal to the repair and replacement of damaged public facilities.
On Aug. 13, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced the approval of low-interest federal loans of up to $1.5 million for small businesses affected by the storms.
The counties approved for business loans were Tioga, McKean, Potter, Bradford, Cameron, Clinton, Elk, Lycoming and Warren counties. New York counties Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chemung and Steuben were also deemed eligible for business loans.
At least for now, only McKean and Warren counties are eligible for both.