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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release January 31, 2000

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

CAROLINA

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of South Carolina and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm beginning on January 22, 2000, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to local governments in a 27 county area. The counties include Abbeville, Berkley, Calhoun, Charleston, Collenton, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Edgefield, Fairfield, Florence, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Marion, Marlboro, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, and York.

Federal funding 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.

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

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