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Federal emergency workers are in Florida assessing the damage left by Tropical Storm Fay. Thursday President Bush declared the state a federal emergency area. The declaration allows state and local governments to claim a 75 percent reimbursement on money spent cleaning up debris and saving lives. Today Governor Charlie Crist asked President Bush to make a disaster declaration on the state�s behalf.

�The President has been very gracious to us and very responsive to us, and again we are very grateful for the first declaration and hopeful for the second,� said Crist.

A major disaster declaration would allow the state to receive more money and personnel from the federal government to assist with cleanup efforts. So far the state has spent more than a million dollars just to activate the Emergency Operations Center.