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THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                            (Okinawa, Japan)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                      July 21, 2000

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of New York and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding beginning on May 3, 2000, and continuing through June 30, 2000.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected local governments in a 12-county area. The counties include Albany, Chenango, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Otsego, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties.

Federal funding 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.

James L. Witt, Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), named Marianne C. Jackson as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area. Damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional assistance and counties may be added after the assessments are completed.

30-30-30