The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agriculture cooperatives, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes located in Cabell, Jackson, Marshall, Mason, Ohio, Pleasants, Tyler, Wayne, Wetzel, and Wood counties in West Virginia as a result of excessive rains, flooding, hail, frost, lightning, high winds, and tornadoes that occurred on Feb. 1 and continuing.

“These counties are eligible because they are contiguous to one or more primary counties in Ohio. The Small Business Administration recognizes that disasters do not usually stop at 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.

“When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to assist small businesses and most private, non-profit organizations affected by the same disaster,” said Skaggs.

Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to farm-related or nonfarm-related small business concerns, small agricultural cooperatives, and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. Farmers and ranchers are not eligible to apply to SBA.

Eligible small businesses and non-profit organizations may qualify for loans up to $2 million. These loans are available at a four percent interest rate with loan terms up to 30 years. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity, and its financial resources. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. Under this disaster declaration, the SBA cannot provide loans to agricultural producers.

Disaster victims should contact the 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 and Sunday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EDT or by e-mailing the customer service center at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA’s Web site at 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.

Victims may visit SBA’s secure Web site at “>https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela to apply for disaster loans.

Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than June 3, 2009.