Disaster Assistance Approved for Three Pennsylvania Counties

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration approved his request to declare to declare the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Fayette a disaster area after flooding in Western Pennsylvania from weather events starting June 27. 

Citizens in the three counties and the 14 counties that border them may be eligible for low interest disaster loans through the SBA Disaster Loan Programs.  The bordering counties include; Armstrong, Blair, Clarion, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland.

Small Business Administration (SBA) officials, along with local and state officials, conducted damage assessments at the site. The governor used the damage assessment results to support his assistance request to the SBA. 

"The effects of the rainfall since June 27 have had impacts across Pennsylvania but the western part of the state has been hit the hardest," Corbett said. "We are grateful that the Small Business Administration granted our request for assistance for those affected by the flooding."

According to Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Glenn Cannon, the damage from the flooding exceeds the SBA criteria of at least 25 homes and/or businesses with uninsured losses of 40 percent or more of their estimated fair market value.

Low-interest loans of up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. SBA regulations permit loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property. Businesses and nonprofits can borrow up to $2 million to restore damaged or destroyed buildings, inventory, equipment and assets. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant's financial qualifications.

The SBA has established a disaster loan outreach center at the following locations.

Clearfield County  
DuBois Area United Way
223 S. Jared St.
DuBois, PA 15801

Fayette County   
Joseph A. Hardy – Connellsville Airport
(New Terminal Building)
988 Sky Drive 
Lemont Furnace, PA 15456

Jefferson County  
First United Methodist Church of Reynoldsville
504 Jackson St.
Reynoldsville, PA 15851-1356

Open:          8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, through Tuesday, July 30 
                  10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 27 (Closed Sunday, July 28)

Closing:       Tuesday, July 30 at close of business

SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the disaster loan outreach center to issue loan applications, answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals to complete their applications.

Individuals and businesses unable to visit the center in person may obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing impaired), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., or by e-mailing [email protected]. 

Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

Completed applications should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. Victims may apply for disaster loans from SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is September 16, 2013.  The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 16, 2014. 

Media contacts: Cory Angell, PEMA: 717-585-8809

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

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