Governor declares state of emergency in seven counties

Monday, Governor Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Merced, San Joaquin, San Mateo and Stanislaus counties:

Severe weather conditions, heavy rainfall, and floodwaters commencing on March 29, 2006, and continuing. These storms have caused the failure of local levees, evacuations of residents, and significant damage to public and private property throughout the affected area.

Schwarzenegger declared states of emergency in 34 counties as a result of the series of severe rainstorms on January 2, 3 and 12, 2006.

The Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce says, the governor’s state of emergency will allow Coastside businesses to get loans from the Small Business Administration for 75% of their weather-related losses: "The next step for the County will be to ask the President to declare San Mateo County a disaster area so that businesses can get Federal SBA loans at 100% reimbursement."