President Frees Up Disaster Aid Funds

President Bush on Friday declared a state of emergency in the Southern California counties affected by February’s rainstorms.

Federal disaster assistance will be available to state and local governments for damage caused by the severe storms, flooding and landslides from Feb. 16 to Feb. 23. Bush had already issued a federal disaster declaration in February for the storms that pounded the Southland in January.

Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and Ventura counties will be eligible for the federal aid, though no dollar amount was provided. Kern, San Bernardino and San Diego counties also will be eligible for funds to help prevent future damage.

Los Angeles City Councilman Jack Weiss said he hoped the city would get money for road repairs in his district, which covers the hillside communities between the San Diego Freeway and Laurel Canyon.

“In the hillside areas and in the canyons, we have really extraordinary damage,” Weiss said. “We need federal money, and we need it up front to pay for the extensive repairs.”

Cole Crest Drive in Laurel Canyon is just one example of a road in desperate need of repairs, Weiss said. The street’s condition is so poor as a result of the rains that residents can’t get to and from their homes and the Fire Department doesn’t have access to the area, he said.

Since July 1, Southern California has been pelted with 35.9 inches of rain, just under the all-time record of 38.18 inches set in 1883-84.

Last month, Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn urged Bush to extend federal disaster assistance for Southern California, saying that storm-related damage had risen to $120 million.

“This federal aid will provide much needed relief from the recent storms,” Hahn said. “The second wave of storms was devastating.”

Hahn added that more than 90 homes in the area were red-tagged, more than 260 streets were damaged, 460 trees were removed, and more than 22,000 potholes were repaired.

“We want to get as much help as we can for the victims,” he said.