SBA Disaster Center to Remain Open in Essex County Until June 14

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that due to a steady decrease of activity, the Disaster Loan Outreach Center located in Essex County will close Thursday, June 14, 2007 at the close of business.

The SBA urges disaster victims to visit the Center before the closing to obtain one-on-one assistance and information about SBA's disaster assistance program. The SBA also encourages those victims who received applications to return the completed applications as quickly as possible. The Center is located at:

Essex County

Newburyport EOC

59 Low Street

Newburyport, MA 01950

Hours: Monday -- Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Center will cease operations at the close of business Thursday, June 14.

"We want to express our sincere gratitude to the staff of the Newburyport EOC in Essex County," said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA Field Operations Center East. "By providing facilities for our Disaster Loan Outreach Center, they have helped disaster victims in their respective communities. We deeply appreciate their generosity."

Anyone unable to visit the Center may obtain an application by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EDT. Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA website at http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Completed applications should be returned to the Center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX. 76155.

The application deadline for physical damage is July 6, 2007; the deadline for economic injury applications is February 7, 2008.

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Programs, visit our website at http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.