Okla. Congressman says disaster declaration coming

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to issue a federal disaster declaration for 14 drought-stricken counties in western Oklahoma, Congressman Frank Lucas announced. The federal agency will confirm nine counties as primary disaster areas, with another five counties declared contiguous disaster areas, Lucas said Thursday. "These counties in Oklahoma are suffering through one of the worst droughts since the Dust Bowl," Lucas said. "Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our American economy and USDA has made the right decision to assist them by granting these designations." U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer signed the disaster declarations on Wednesday, but the designations still must be approved by the Office of Congressional Relations before it is officially released, said Latawnya Dia, a... [read full story]