PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - President Barack Obama has declared four Oregon counties hard hit by winter storms as disaster areas.
The declaration for Benton, Lane, Lincoln and Linn counties means federal funds and assistance programs are available to the state and local governments, as well as certain private nonprofits that do emergency work.
The Oregon Office of Emergency Management says most of the damage was suffered by public utilities and caused by snow, ice, wind and flooding.
Additional designations could be made at a later date.
The Oregon Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will open a joint office in Salem next week to administer the newly-available money.
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