KERN COUNTY, Calif. — The Small Business Administration has announced that it will declare Ridgecrest and parts of San Bernardino County as disaster areas following last month's massive earthquakes. The areas of Ridgecrest and Trona were hit with massive 6.4 and 7.1 earthquakes followed by thousands of aftershocks.

Earlier this week Congressman Kevin McCarthy joined the state of California and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services is asking the SBA to declare the regions as disaster areas, thus providing federal funding to small businesses. Now they will.

In a statement, SBA Administrator Chris Pilkerton said in part the "SBA is strongly committed to providing California with the most effective and customer-focused response possible. We will be there to provide access to federal disaster loans to help finance recovery for businesses and residents affected by the disaster."