SBA Low-Interest Loans Available

Small, nonfarm businesses in 13 Wyoming counties and neighboring counties in Colorado, Montana,  Nebraska and South Dakota are eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  Alfred E. Judd, Director of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center West, says these loans offset economic losses because of the drought that began July 24, 2012, in the following primary counties;:

Primary Wyoming counties: Albany, Campbell, Converse, Crook, Goshen, Niobrara, Platte and Weston;

Neighboring Wyoming counties:  Carbon, Johnson, Laramie, Natrona and Sheridan;

Neighboring Colorado counties: Jackson and Larimer;

Neighboring Montana counties: Carter and Powder River;

Neighboring Nebraska counties: Banner, Scotts Bluff and Sioux;

Neighboring South Dakota counties: Butte, Custer, Fall River, Lawrence and Pennington.

Small, nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

By law, SBA makes EIDLs available when the U. S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster.  Secretary Tom Vilsack declared this disaster on August 1, 2012.

The deadline to apply for these loans is April 1, 2013.