This is historical material, "frozen in time." The web site is no longer updated and links to external web sites and some internal pages will not work.

THE WHITE HOUSE

                   Office Of the Press Secretary
                      (Carrollton, Kentucky)

For Immediate Release April 9, 1998

                     PRESIDENT CLINTON DECLARES 
                     DISASTER EXISTS IN ALABAMA

The President 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 beginning on April 8, 1998, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals and local governments in a three county area. The counties include Jefferson, 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 is available to eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency protective measures under the Public Assistance program. Federal funding is also available on a cost share basis for hazard mitigation measures.

The Agency said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional counties may be added after the assessments are completed.

# # #