***Disaster News***![](media/image1.png){width="1.5847222222222221in"
height="0.7277777777777777in"}

***Economic Injury Loans for Small Businesses***

SBA Disaster Assistance--Field Operations Center East-One Baltimore
Place, Suite 300-Atlanta, GA 30308

**Release Date:** September 12, 2007 **Contact:** Mark Ihenacho

**Release Number:** 07-697, WVA 10981 **Phone:** 404-347-3771

**SBA DISASTER LOANS AVAILABLE FOLLOWING**

**SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE DISASTER DECLARATION IN WEST VIRGINIA**

**ATLANTA -** The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces
today that federal disaster loans are available to small businesses in
the State of West Virginia as a result of damages and losses to crops
caused by drought May 15, 2007 and continuing.

Small businesses located in the following counties are eligible to
apply: Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Brooke, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay,
Doddridge, Fayette, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hancock, Harrison,
Jackson, Kanawha, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Marshall, Mason,
McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monongalia, Monroe, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton,
Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Ritchie,
Roane, Summers, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, Wayne, Webster, Wetzel,
Wirt, Wood and Wyoming.

"SBA's disaster declaration was issued as a result of a similar action
taken by the Secretary of Agriculture to help farmers recover from
damages and losses to crops," said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA Field
Operations Center East.

Under this declaration, SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)
program is available to farm-related and nonfarm-related small business
concerns and small agricultural cooperatives that suffered economic
injury as a direct result of this disaster. Farmers and ranchers are not
eligible to apply to SBA, but nurseries are eligible to apply for
economic injury disaster loans for losses caused by drought conditions.

Eligible small businesses may qualify for loans up to \$1.5 million.
These loans are available at a 4 percent interest rate with loan terms
up to 30 years. SBA determines eligibility for the program based on the
size and type of business and its financial resources. Loan amounts and
terms are set by SBA and are based upon each applicant's financial
condition. Under this disaster declaration, SBA cannot provide loans to
agricultural producers.

Interested business owners should contact SBA's Customer Service Center
by calling 1-800-659-2955\
(1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) Monday through Friday from 8
a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (EDT). Business
loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA's website at
[www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance](http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance).
Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business
Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center -- 14925 Kingsport
Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

**Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than
[April 9, 2008]{.underline}.**

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*For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Programs, visit our
website at
[www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance](http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance)[.]{.underline}*