Gov. Ed Rendell has asked President Bush to declare Mercer County and other parts of western Pennsylvania a major disaster as a result of the severe weather that began July 21.

Rendell has already proclaimed a disaster emergency in those areas, but that declaration does not bring any direct financial assistance to local communities.

"The money is a filter-down proposition, but the disaster declarations filter up," said Mercer County Commissioner Cloyd E. "Gene" Brenneman.

If Bush comes through, money would be freed up for the cleanup and repair from the series of storms that ripped through the county, causing flooding, power outages and other damage.

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