OLYMPIA — On March 13, Gov. Jay Inslee requested an Economic Injury Disaster declaration from the Small Business Administration (SBA). The declaration is made on behalf of counties and is not a statewide request. Many counties in Washington — including Pacific — submitted Economic Injury Disaster Loan worksheets for their businesses.

The SBA reviewed those worksheets last week and preapproved the 13 counties in addition to Pacific: Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Klickitat, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom and Whitman. These counties were listed on the request to the SBA and are considered primary counties, and will also be listed on the SBA disaster declaration.

SBA loan applications may be made at www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance.

Small businesses in the primary and contiguous counties will be allowed to apply for low-interest loans to help during this period. Information will be sent out by the SBA and the state to inform businesses of this opportunity. This information will include the application process and terms.

Counties that are contiguous to the primary counties will automatically be approved as well. The contiguous counties were not listed on the governor’s request and will not be specifically listed in the declaration from SBA, but include Wahkiakum and others.

The governor’s office said it is working with the SBA and the remaining counties (Clark, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Stevens, and Pend Oreille) to add them to the declaration request this week.