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President Clinton Declares Major Disaster Exists in Minnesota (7/28/00)

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The Briefing Room
                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary
                        (Providence, Rhode Island)

___________________________________________________________________________
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For Immediate Release                                    July 28, 2000


       PRESIDENT CLINTON DECLARES MAJOR DISASTER EXISTS IN MINNESOTA

The  President  today  amended  the  major  disaster declaration issued for
Minnesota  on  June  27  to  include  assistance  for  families  and  local
governments  victimized  by  the  deadly  tornado  that  struck the town of
Granite Falls in Yellow Medicine County on July 25.

The  President?s  action extends the declaration?s eligible incident period
from  May  17  to  July  26  to include damage sustained as a result of the
tornado.   The  initial  declaration  covered damage from severe storms and
flooding that occurred over the period of May 17 to July 12.

Under  the amended declaration, stricken individuals and families in Yellow
Medicine  County  are  eligible  to  apply  for federal assistance that can
include  grants  to  help pay for temporary housing, emergency home repairs
and  other  serious disaster-related expenses.  Low-interest loans from the
U.S.  Small  Business Administration will be available to cover residential
and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.

Federal funding also will be provided for affected local governments to pay
75  percent  of  the  approved costs for debris removal, emergency services
related to the tornado, and restoring damaged public property.

In  a  separate  action, the declaration was amended to add the counties of
Clearwater  and  Roseau  for  assistance to local governments for damage to
public property resulting from the previous severe storms and flooding.

                                 30-30-30


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