Drought-like conditions ease throughout the state

<br>(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Recent rains are easing drought-like conditions in much of Oklahoma. <br><br>But officials say the improving weather will not affect a decision on whether 62 counties in the state

Monday, September 8th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Recent rains are easing drought-like conditions in much of Oklahoma.

But officials say the improving weather will not affect a decision on whether 62 counties in the state should be declared disaster areas because of the drought.

Governor Henry sent a letter asking for a disaster declaration to U-S Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman in August.

Rod Wanger with the U-S Farm Service Agency says the decision on a disaster declaration will be made based on crop loss during the drought-like conditions.

The counties in Henry's request include Alfalfa, Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Choctaw, Cimarron, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Creek, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Hughes, Jackson and Jefferson.

The others are Johnston, Kay, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Latimer, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Marshall, Major, McClain, McIntosh, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Oklahoma, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Roger Mills, Seminole, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, Washita, Woods and Woodward.