
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 1, 1994                   TAG: 9403010222
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BOUCHER ASKS CLINTON TO DECLARE DISASTER

U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, on Monday put his political weight behind the effort to win federal assistance for the Southwest Virginia localities affected by last month's ice storm.

Boucher sent a letter to President Clinton asking that he declare the region a major disaster area.

"Many of the local and state governmental agencies and private electric cooperaties which were hardest hit by the ice damage and flooding are now unable to sustain the costs of making repairs to the public infrastructure," Boucher wrote.

"Federal emergency assistance in a major disaster area will provide disaster relief for the expenses incurred by counties, cities and towns as a result of the storm, as well as provide funds for the repair of storm-damaged public facilities," he continued.

Boucher's letter follows Gov. George Allen's Friday request for emergency assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Federal officials will evaluate the request and make a recommendation to the president, according to a statement from Boucher's office.

by CNB