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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release September 1, 2000

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

     The  President  today declared a major disaster exists in the

State of Idaho and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by wildfires on July 27, 2000, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Bannock, Boise, Clearwater, Elmore, Idaho, Jerome, Lemhi, Lewis and Power, and the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.

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 also available on a cost share basis for hazard mitigation measures.

James L. Witt, Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), named William Lokey as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

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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