Statement by Press Secretary Dana Perino

WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State
of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local
recovery efforts in the area struck by Hurricane Gustav on September
1, 2008, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected
individuals in the parishes of Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption,
Avoyelles, Beauregard, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana,
Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette,
Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, Rapides,
Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St.
Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Vernon, West
Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home
repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other
programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the
effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to State and eligible local
governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a
cost-sharing basis in the parishes of Acadia, Allen, Ascension,
Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East
Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis,
Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee,
Rapides, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the
Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion,
Vernon, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana for debris removal.

R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Michael J. Hall
as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in
the affected area.

FEMA said that damage surveys have been scheduled and more
parishes and additional forms of assistance may be designated after
the assessments are fully completed in the affected areas.

White House Press Office
1-202-456-2580

Copyright Business Wire 2008