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THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                      (Worcester, Massachusetts)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                    August 27, 1998

                PRESIDENT CLINTON DECLARES DISASTER EXISTS
                            IN NORTH CAROLINA

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of North Carolina and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by Hurricane Bonnie on August 25, 1998, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals and local governments in a 10 county area. The counties include Beaufort, Brunswick, Cateret, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico and Pender.

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 Hurricane Bonnie. Categories A and B (debris removal and emergency protective measures) under the Public Assistance program will be provided at 100 percent Federal funding of total eligible costs for the first 72 hours. Direct Federal assistance will be provided for the first 72 hours at 100 percent Federal funding.

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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