Disaster Relief Act of 1970 (84 Stat. 1744).

Major disaster means any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, winddriven water, tidal wave, earthquake, drought, fire, or other catastrophe in any part of the United States, which, in the determination of the President, is or threatens to be of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant disaster assistance by the Federal Government to supplement the efforts and available resources of States, local governments, and relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused thereby, and with respect to which the Governor of any State in which such catastrophe occurs or threatens to occur certifies the need for Federal disaster assistance and gives assurance of the expenditure of a reasonable amount of the funds of such State, its local governments, or other agencies for alleviating the damage, loss, hardship or suffering resulting from such catastrophe.

(a) Where an existing timber sale contract does not provide relief to the timber purchaser from major physical change, not due to negligence of the purchaser, prior to approval of construction of any section of specified road or other specified development facility and, as a result of a major disaster, a major physical change results in additional construction work in connection therewith, the United States will bear a share of the increased construction costs. The United States' share will be determined by the authorized officer as follows:

(1) For sales of less than 1 million board feet, costs over $1,000;

(2) For sales of from 1 to 3 million board feet, costs over the sum of $1 per thousand board feet;

(3) For sales of over 3 million board feet, costs over $3,000.

(b) Where the authorized officer determines that the damages caused by such major physical change are so great that restoration, reconstruction, or construction is not practical under this cost-sharing arrangement, he may cancel the timber sale contract notwithstanding any provisions thereof.

(a) Place of filing. The application for relief shall be filed in the office which issued the contract.

(b) Form of application. No special form of application is necessary.

(c) Contents of application. (1) The date of issuance of the contract and any identification number.

(2) The particular disaster and its effect upon contract performance.

(3) An estimate of the damages suffered.

(4) A statement of the relief requested.

(5) An estimate of time which will be needed to overcome the delay in performance caused by the disaster.