OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

Contact: Mary Helen Thompson

For Immediate Release: January 30, 1997 (202) 208-6416

INTERIOR SECRETARY BABBITT ANNOUNCES FEDERAL DISASTER

RELIEF FUNDS FOR DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AGENCIES

Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt announced today that President Clinton has approved $39.2 million in disaster relief funds for five Interior agencies. The funds, previously appropriated by Congress, will be used to address urgent needs arising from damage caused by natural disasters during 1996 including floods in the Northwest, wildfires in the West and Rocky Mountain States and hurricanes on the East Coast. Damages from the most recent storms and floods are still being assessed by the administration.

“These natural disasters delivered a devastating blow to federal lands and Indian reservations, creating massive hardship for Interior agencies and state and local communities, “ Babbitt stated.”We are grateful that President Clinton has quickly stepped up to the table with much needed disaster relief assistance. It is now our responsibility to roll up our sleeves and begin the hard work to reverse the damage and return these lands to functional operation.”

Federal agencies receiving funds are:

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT -

$3.5 Million for Management of Lands and Resources

$2.5 Million for Oregon and California Grant Lands

The funds will address an urgent need to return public lands in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon , Utah, Washington, and Wyoming to full pre-fire resource potential.

US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE -

$15.9 Million for Construction

$600,000 for Resource Management

The funds will be used for infrastructure repair and cleanup projects at wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries on the East Coast and areas in the Mid and Southwest affected by floods and hurricanes.

US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY -

$1.1 million for Surveys, Investigation and Research

The money will cover the coast of data collection and documentation in Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Puerto Rico resulting from Hurricanes Fran and Hortense, and for storms in Idaho, Maine and Minnesota.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE -

$3 Million for Construction

The funds are urgently needed to repair damage cased by Hurricane Bertha in the Virgin Islands and Hurricanes Fran and Hortense in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS -

$6.6 Million for Operation of Indian Programs

$6 Million for Construction

Funds will be used to restore Indian Lands damaged by fire in Arizona, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington and to assist the Mescalero Apache Tribe in New Mexico to recover from flood damage.

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