SBA offers disaster assistance for Chinook fishery disaster

The U. S. Small Business Administration is making low-interest, working capital federal disaster loans available to small businesses in the Mat-Su Borough economically impacted by the 2012 Alaska Chinook Salmon Fishery disaster between June 1 and Aug. 30.

SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills said the administration acted under its own authority to declare a disaster following a request received on Nov. 16 from Gov. Sean Parnell.

“The U.S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist Alaska’s small businesses with federal disaster loans. We will be swift in our efforts to help these small businesses recover from the financial impacts of this disaster,” Mills said.

Eligibility is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage

These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent for small businesses and 3 percent for private, nonprofit organizations with terms up to 30 years, and are restricted to small businesses without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship.

The filing deadline to return economic injury applications is Aug. 21, 2013.

Some eligible business owners include: small businesses engaged in salmon fishing in the waters affected by the closure (employees or crew members are not small businesses and are not eligible); small businesses dependent on the catching or sale of salmon including suppliers of fishing gear and fuel, docks, boatyards, processors, wholesalers, shippers, and retailers; and other small businesses dependent on revenue from the above.

The Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering free, personalized counseling to help affected business owners in their recovery.

For more information, visit aksbdc.org/, stop by the Central Region SBDC, 201 North Lucille Street, Suite 2A, in Wasilla, or call, 373-7232.

Applicants may apply online at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applications also are available by calling (800) 659‑2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or online at sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Individuals who are hearing impaired may call (800) 877-8339.