Public Debt Aids Savings Bond Owners in States and Territory Affected by Severe Weather

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 2, 2011

The Bureau of the Public Debt, announced it would expedite replacement of lost or destroyed paper U.S. Savings Bonds, and waive the normal one-year minimum holding period for savings bonds to assist victims affected by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Texas, and Vermont.

The action takes effect immediately and permits authorized paying agents to redeem Series EE and I savings bonds that are less than one-year old. Most financial institutions serve as paying agents for savings bonds. The one-year holding period for electronic savings bonds held in TreasuryDirect accounts also is waived for owners in the affected areas. Residents in the affected areas will be allowed to redeem these savings bonds through October 2011.

A TreasuryDirect account holder in one of the affected counties who needs a waiver of the one-year holding period in order to redeem electronic savings bonds can send an e-mail from within the account. The e-mail should briefly explain that the account holder is in an area affected by the disaster and needs a waiver of the holding period.

If paper bonds were lost or destroyed, bond owners can complete a downloadable form - FS Form 1048 - available on Fiscal Service's website, treasurydirect.gov. Forms also can be obtained by calling the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Customer Service Department at (844)-284-2676. Bond owners should include as much information as possible about the lost bonds on the form. Claim applications should be signed and signatures should be certified as indicated in the form's instructions. Completed forms can be mailed to the Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt, P.O. Box 7012, Parkersburg, WV 26106-7012. To help expedite the processing of claims, write the word "DISASTER" on the front of the envelope.

The counties affected in these states:

Connecticut

Fairfield County, Hartford County, Litchfield County, Middlesex County, New Haven County, New London County, Tolland County, and Windham County.

Massachusetts

Berkshire County and Franklin County.

New Hampshire

Carroll County and Grafton County.

New Jersey

Atlantic County, Bergen County, Burlington County, Camden County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, Essex County, Gloucester County, Hudson County, Hunterdon County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, Ocean County, Passaic County, Salem County, Somerset County, Sussex County, Union County, and Warren County.

New York

Albany County, Bronx County, Broome County, Chemung County, Chenango County, Clinton County, Columbia County, Delaware County, Dutchess County, Essex County, Greene County, Herkimer County, Kings County, Montgomery County, Nassau County, Oneida County, Orange County, Otsego County, Putnam County, Queens County, Rensselaer County, Richmond County, Rockland County, Saratoga County, Schenectady County, Schoharie County, Suffolk County, Sullivan County, Tioga County, Ulster County, Warren County, Washington County, and Westchester County.

North Carolina

Beaufort County, Bertie County, Brunswick County, Camden County, Carteret County, Chowan County, Craven County, Currituck County, Dare County, Duplin County, Edgecombe County, Gates County, Greene County, Halifax County, Hertford County, Hyde County, Johnston County, Jones County, Lenoir County, Martin County, Nash County, New Hanover County, Northampton County, Onslow County, Pamlico County, Pasquotank County, Pender County, Perquimans County, Pitt County, Tyrrell County, Vance County, Warren County, Washington County, Wayne County, and Wilson County.

Pennsylvania

Adams County, Berks County, Bradford County, Bucks County, Chester County, Columbia County, Cumberland County, Dauphin County, Delaware County, Lancaster County, Lebanon County, Lehigh County, Luzerne County, Lycoming County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Montour County, Northampton County, Northumberland County, Perry County, Philadelphia County, Schuylkill County, Snyder County, Sullivan County, Susquehanna County, Union County, Wyoming County, and York County.

Puerto Rico

Adjuntas Municipio, Aguas Buenas Municipio, Arroyo Municipio, Caguas Municipio, Canovanas Municipio, Carolina Municipio, Cayey Municipio, Ciales Municipio, Cidra Municipio, Coamo Municipio, Comerio Municipio, Fajardo Municipio, Guaynabo Municipio, Gurabo Municipio, Humacao Municipio, Jayuya Municipio, Juncos Municipio, Las Piedras Municipio, Loiza Municipio, Luquillo Municipio, Naguabo Municipio, Naranjito Municipio, Orocovis Municipio, Patillas Municipio, Ponce Municipio, Rio Grande Municipio, San Juan Municipio, San Lorenzo Municipio, Trujillo Alto Municipio, Vega Baja Municipio, Vieques Municipio, and Villalba Municipio.

Texas

Anderson County, Bastrop County, Caldwell County, Cass County, Colorado County, Fayette County, Gregg County, Grimes County, Harrison County, Henderson County, Hill County, Houston County, Leon County, Marion County, Montgomery County, Rusk County, Smith County, Travis County, Upshur County, Walker County, Waller County, and Williamson County.

Vermont

Addison County, Bennington County, Caledonia County, Chittenden County, Franklin County, Lamoille County, Orange County, Orleans County, Rutland County, Washington County, Windham County, and Windsor County.

For a list of the most recent counties affected, visit FEMA's website at www.fema.gov.