THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                 (Shanghai, People's Republic of China)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                      June 30, 1998

                       PRESIDENT CLINTON DECLARES 
                    MAJOR DISASTER EXISTS IN VERMONT

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Vermont and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding beginning on June 17, 1998, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals and local governments in an eight-county area. The counties include Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, Lamoille, Orange, Rutland, Washington, and Windsor.

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 the repair or replacement of public facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding. 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.

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