Area businesses eligible for ice-storm recovery SBA loans

The declaration covers 23 counties, including Greene, Christian, Dallas, Polk and Webster. It also covers three Illinois counties and two Kansas counties.

The Economic Injury Disaster assistance program offers working capital loans of up to $1.5 million at an interest rate of 4 percent with terms up to 30 years.

“These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact,” said Alfred E. Judd, director of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center, in a news release. “These loans can provide vital economic assistance to small business affected by the severe winter storms and flooding to help cover the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.”

The deadline to apply for loans is Feb. 8, 2008.

SBA customer service representatives will be at SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers to issue loan applications and answer questions. An appointment is not needed; to have an SBA representative visit a business, call (916) 847-2612.

SBA representatives also will be on hand at chambers of commerce around the state to work with business owners on obtaining loans:

• Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 202 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. May 16, 23 and 30;

• Aurora Chamber of Commerce, 121 E. Olive St., 9 a.m.–1 p.m. May 15, 22 and 29;

• Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, 186 N. Adams Ave., 9 a.m.–1 p.m., today, May 17 and 24; and

• Florissant Valley Chamber of Commerce, 420 W. Washington St., 9 a.m.–1 p.m., May 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31.

More information also is available at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.