FORT FAIRFIELD — Tears of joy, cheers and goose bumps greeted news Friday that the town was declared a federal disaster area.

A joint statement from Sens. George Mitchell and William Cohen said a minimum of $460,000 in federal relief aid would become available to Fort Fairfield residents and business owners affected by a devastating flood earlier this spring.

In addition, the Small Business Association will be in town by Monday to start taking applications for assistance.

An estimated 70 residences and 30 businesses were damaged in the April 16-17 flood caused by rains and ice jams.

Carl Langley wept at the good news.

Langley and his wife, Reva, lost the home they had lived in for 30 years along the Aroostook River. The attached building that housed his automotive repair business also was severely damaged.

The Langleys and several other displaced residents are living in Presque Isle in temporary base housing offered by Air Force officials.

“I don’t want a million-dollar mansion,” Langley said as he wiped away his tears. “I just want a place to live where I don’t have to move every time it starts raining.”

After his property had flooded in April for the 20th time, Langley was discouraged about making plans.

“There’s no use staying here, it will be the same thing next year,” he said. “We’ll buy or build somewhere else.”

Helen Underwood of North Caribou Road said the town planned to appraise her house in consideration of relocating her and her husband. Flood waters filled the basement and left muddy debris 3 feet high on the main floor. Piles of ice pushed the house from two sides, buckling the hardwood floors and tearing off a porch.

Despite the extent of the damage to some homes and businesses, however, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had reportedly recommended to President Clinton that he not declare a state of emergency for the area.

“We were able to persuade the administration that it should be granted,” Mitchell said, in explaining the turnaround. The declaration was a “close call,” because while it was devastating locally, it was relatively small by national standards, he said.

Cohen said FEMA initally gave a bleak prediction about the town’s chances for a federal declaration.

“They said it really didn’t measure up,” said Cohen. “We kept pressing the case, arguing it really was devastating for the area. We said, `we have a real problem in Aroostook County.’ That is why so much attention was paid to DFAS, (the military’s Defense Finance and Accounting Service center) and the Job Corps. They are aware at the White House of the cumulative effect of the economic problems in Aroostook County.”

Cohen said FEMA was taking corrective measures to respond more quickly to disasters and “we will try to keep the pressure on.”

“This is good news, the waiting is over, I’m tickled to death,” said Scott Seabury, Fort Fairfield town manager. “I asked him (Mitchell) if he wouldn’t reconsider his decision not to run for senator again.”

Seabury said small business loans would help restructure the debt load of businesses the town assisted with its emergency loan program.

“It also will free up money we planned to use to help individuals,” said Seabury. “Now we can use it toward the mitigation effort for whatever we decide to do, so this won’t happen again. We owe a big thanks to our Maine and county delegations.”

David Bernard, director of the local housing authority said, “From what I’ve heard of it, I’m ecstatic. I’m tickled pink for whoever it does cover.”

Bernard said 27 elderly residents were among those displaced in the flood and he hoped the funds would take care of personal items they lost.

“If it does that, it’s going to lessen the traumatic experience they went through,” said Bernard. “Most of them lost everything they had.”

The aid to be coordinated by FEMA can include:

Rental payments for temporary housing up to 18 months for those with uninhabitable homes;

Grants for minimal repairs to primary residences that are habitable or to make them so;

Grants up to $12,200 for serious disaster-related needs not covered by other federal aid programs;

Unemployment payments up to 26 weeks to workers who lost jobs because of the flood if the workers do not qualify for state benefits, such as self-employed people;

Low-interest loans from 3.625 to 7.25 percent to cover insured private property losses and from 4 to 8 percent for business property losses. Loans available up to $200,000 for primary residences, $40,000 for personal property, including renter losses and $1.5 million for businesses.

Loans up to $1.5 million for small businesses with disaster related cash flow problems and for working capital to recover from the disaster’s adverse economic impact. The loan, in combination with a loan for property loss cannot exceed a total of $1.5 million;

Loans up to $500,000 for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operators to cover production and property losses, excluding primary residence;

Other relief programs such as crisis counseling for those traumatized by the disaster, income tax filing for filing casualty losses, advisory assistance for legal, veterans benefits and social security matters.

FEMA will establish a local walk-in center where people can file applications for aid. Meanwhile residents and business owners may begin applying immediately for assistance by calling the agency at 1-800-462-9029. Those with speech or hearing impairments may call 1-800-462-7585 (TDD). The toll-free telephone numbers will work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.