After touring some particularly hard-hit drought areas of the Upstate of South Carolina, Governor Mark Sanford formally requested federal disaster area relief on Wednesday.
The Governor requested that all but 2 South Carolina counties be designated as federal disaster areas, allowing farmers and others to apply for financial assistance and low-interest loans.
Sanford held an impromptu outdoor townhall meeting and news conference in Pickens County,
which is one of the 5 Upstate counties hit hardest by the drought. Farmers in the region stated that without significant rainfall soon, they will be forced to sell their farms.
The 5 Upstate counties of Spartanburg, Greenville, Cherokee, Pickens, and Oconee are suffering from 'extreme' drought conditions, the worst designation possible in the state. Rainfall totals are running 11-12 inches below normal just since the start of 2008.
The rest of the state is under either severe or moderate drought conditions with the exception of Charleston and Georgetown counties, both of which have received enough rainfall in the last month to bring them out of the drought.
Many areas throughout the state are also under either mandatory or voluntary water restrictions.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
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