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President Clinton Declares a Major Disaster Exists in the State of Alabama

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                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary

___________________________________________________________________________
____
For                            Immediate                            Release
December 18, 2000


                PRESIDENT CLINTON DECLARES A MAJOR DISASTER
                      EXISTS IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA

     President  Clinton today declared a major disaster exists in the State
of  Alabama  and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery
efforts  in  the area struck by severe storms and tornadoes on December 16,
2000, and continuing.

     The  President's  action  makes  Federal funding available to affected
individuals  and  local  governments  in  a  nine-county area. The counties
include  Dale,  Etowah, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Limestone, Macon, St. Clair
and Tuscaloosa.

     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 on a
cost-sharing  basis  for  debris removal and emergency protective measures.
Federal  funding  is  also  available  on  a  cost  share  basis for hazard
mitigation measures.

     James  L.  Witt,  Director  of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA),  named  John  D.  Hannah  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  assistance  and counties may be added after the assessments are
completed.


                                 30-30-30


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