Wilson Declares 13 More Counties Disaster Areas
Gov. Pete Wilson on Friday proclaimed disaster areas in 13 more California counties, including Los Angeles, bringing the total to 31, or more than half the state.
The governor also formally petitioned President Bush to declare a federal state of emergency in the freeze-plagued counties, so that farmers can apply for low-interest federal loans to recoup losses from the two-week cold snap.
The loans would be available through the Small Business Administration’s Emergency Loan Program, the Farmers Home Administration and the Internal Revenue Service’s casualty program.
A week earlier, Wilson declared a state of emergency in 17 hard-hit counties, including Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura. Before Wilson took office this month, Gov. George Deukmejian proclaimed a state of emergency in Santa Cruz County. Statewide damage estimates are soaring toward the $1-billion mark. Federal assistance is “much needed,” Wilson said Friday, to “help put farmers back on their feet during these times of economic uncertainty.”
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