Announcement of Federal Assistance Actions on Heat and Drought Conditions in the United States

The White House today announced several additional measures the administration is taking to provide assistance to low-income and elderly persons and to farmers affected by the extreme heat and drought that have plagued large parts of the Nation over the past few weeks. These actions are a followup to those taken on July 15, when $6.725 million was allocated to the States of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas by the Community Services Administration (CSA). Although rain and falling temperatures have brought relief in parts of the Nation, other areas continue to suffer from above-normal temperatures and lack of rain.

Following congressional approval, the President will direct CSA and the Department of Health and Human Services to reprogram up to $21 million of last winter's Energy Crisis Assistance Program funds for use in areas currently affected by the heat. These funds represent unspent money that States would otherwise return to the Treasury at the end of the fiscal year. This administration initiative is consistent with the legislative efforts initiated by Congressman Mario Biaggi and supported by numerous members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives earlier this week.

The reprogrammed funds will be made available, through CSA's network of Community Action Agencies, to those States most severely affected by the continuing heat wave. CSA Director Richard Rios announced that in addition to the original six States, eligibility has been extended today to Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.

The estimated amount of assistance to be provided to each of these States immediately is as follows: Illinois, $1.8 million; Kentucky, $0.8 million; Tennessee, $1.6 million; Mississippi, $1.6 million; Alabama, $1.5 million; Georgia, $1.8 million. Approximately $4.9 million is being allocated to the six States which received assistance last week. The additional amounts tentatively earmarked for each State are: Texas, $2 million; Missouri, $0.75 million; Oklahoma and Arkansas, $0.5 million each; Louisiana, $1 million; Kansas, $0.2 million. The remaining $7 million to be reprogrammed is being set aside on a contingency basis to assist other States should the need arise.

Assistance is being allocated on the basis of several factors, including the number of elderly poor and the severity of the weather experienced. Eligible activities include the provision of transportation to heat relief centers, purchase and rental of fans and coolers, rental or lease of small air-conditioners when medically necessary, and payment of utility bills in life- or health-threatening situations. To receive assistance, a household must demonstrate that it has a total income at or below 125 percent of the Federal poverty guideline, which is approximately $9,300 for a family of four.

The White House also announced that State and area agencies on aging are taking special steps to alleviate or minimize the impact of the heat wave on the elderly. This includes 24-hour information and referral services for providing fans, provision of cooling facilities at nutrition sites and senior centers, free transportation to cooled facilities, additional funds to increase meal services, and expanded outreach services to the elderly for medical attention and food. These services are being provided to the nonambulatory poor elderly on a priority basis.

In response to the President's July 15 directive to accelerate needed help to farmers, Agriculture Secretary Bob Bergland has implemented several important drought assistance programs, principally emergency livestock feed, natural disaster payments, and emergency loans.

Emergency livestock feed assistance is being provided to livestock producers whose feed production has been reduced by at least 40 percent. This aid is now available in over 400 counties in 20 States.

Disaster payments will be made to those farmers who either were prevented from planting their crop at all or suffered a crop loss of at least 40 percent. The extent of damage will be assessed by the county Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service committees.

The Farmers Home Administration is providing emergency loans at 5 percent interest to farmers whose production has been cut by at least 20 percent and who cannot obtain credit elsewhere. These loans have already been made available in 324 drought-affected counties in 10 States.

Finally, the President commended local communities and voluntary organizations for the swift and effective measures they have taken to reach out to those in need during this unusual situation. He also appealed to the Governors of the affected States to work closely with their public utility commissions in establishing deferred payment plans for low-income and elderly persons, because of the difficulty such persons might encounter in paying their increased utility bills associated with the beat wave.