SHAHEEN: NEW HAMPSHIRE SMALL BUSINESSES DAMAGED BY DECEMBER ICE STORM NEED MORE HELP

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen today urged the Small Business Administration (SBA) to offer subsidized loans to New Hampshire small businesses that suffered economic losses due to the December 11, 2008 ice storm. In a letter to the SBA Office of Disaster Assistance, Shaheen requested help for the many small businesses across the state that experienced loss of inventory, customer loss, damage to their facilities and other economic harms due to the storm.

 

The full text of the letter follows:

February 27, 2009

Mr. Frank Skaggs

U.S. Small Business Administration

Office of Disaster Assistance

Field Operations Center – East

One Baltimore Place, Suite 300

Atlanta, GA 30308

 

Dear Director Skaggs:

In December an unprecedented ice storm resulted in the loss of power for hundreds of thousands of individuals and businesses across New Hampshire for days and, in some cases, weeks.  I write to you today in support of Governor John Lynch’s letter of February 20, 2009 certifying the damage to small businesses in the wake of the December 11, 2008 ice storm and requesting subsidized loans from the Small Business Administration to the affected businesses. 

The New Hampshire Division of Economic Development surveyed businesses in Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham and Strafford counties and found that more than five small businesses in each county had suffered considerable economic losses as a result of the storm.  These businesses experienced loss of inventory, customer loss for multiple days, and damage to their facilities. 

Federal assistance following the storm of December 11, 2008 is critical to the future of many small businesses throughout New Hampshire, and I respectfully request that the Small Business Administration give Governor Lynch’s request every consideration and make these loans available. 

Should you require any additional information about this matter, please contact Michael Vlacich, my New Hampshire State Director.  Mike can be reached at (603) 647-7500 or by e-mail at mike_vlacich@shaheen.senate.gov.

Thank you for your assistance with this request.                           

Sincerely,

 Jeanne Shaheen

U.S Senator

 

Cc: Darryl Hairston, Acting Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration

     

Witmer H. Jones, New Hampshire District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration