Disaster loans available to area small businesses

COLUMBIA - The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced that federal disaster loans are available to small businesses located in Cherokee, Chesterfield, Greenville, Lancaster, Marlboro, Oconee, Spartanburg and York counties in South Carolina.

"These counties are eligible because they are contiguous to one or more primary counties in the State of North Carolina. SBA recognizes that disasters do not usually stop at the county or state lines. For that reason, counties adjacent to primary counties named in the declaration are included," according to Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

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 caused by abnormally low temperatures and freezing conditions April 6-9, 2007.

Interested business owners should call 1-800-659- 2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired), Monday- Friday from 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA's website at www.sba.gov/ services/disaster assistance. 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 Jan. 24. 2008.