The federal government on Monday expanded the availability of disaster relief for Maine businesses and nonprofits that suffered financially because of a drought that plagued the state for much of last year.
The U.S. Small Business Administration says low-interest disaster relief loans are now available for entities in York County, as well as several New Hampshire counties. Maine’s southernmost county had not been included in some of the previous loan programs related to the drought.
The SBA has also extended loan eligibility back to Aug. 19 for businesses and nonprofits in 11 other counties. That declaration covers Aroostook, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo and Washington counties.
Under a previous declaration, only businesses suffering economic losses from Sept. 23 onward were eligible for the loans. Piscataquis and Sagadahoc counties have also been added added to the list.
The declaration that includes York County is for losses sustained from Oct. 28 onward. Much of southern Maine was still considered to be in severe drought at that time.
Entities eligible for the low-interest loans may include small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofits that sustained economic losses from the drought, according to the SBA. The loans can be used for fixed debts, payroll and other bills that went unpaid because of the drought.
In late November, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared the drought a natural disaster, allowing the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to take applications for emergency loans from farmers and other agricultural operations in Maine.
A day later, the SBA followed suit, announcing that emergency loans were available for small businesses and nonprofits in nine of Maine’s 16 counties.
Federal government expands disaster relief for Maine businesses hurt by drought
