For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 27, 2003

Statement by the Press Secretary

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of North Carolina and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by an ice storm on February 27-28, 2003.

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for the repair or replacement of public facilities damaged by the ice storm in the counties of Alamance, Caswell, Forsyth, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Rockingham, and Stokes.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-share basis for hazard mitigation measures.

Representing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Michael D. Brown, Acting Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of Homeland Security, named Michael Bolch 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 counties may be added for assistance after the assessments are completed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.