Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that Westchester County will receive $4,032,891.38 in federal funds to make permanent repairs to Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, which was damaged during Hurricane Sandy. Sections of the bath house were completely demolished and half the sand on the beach was swept away during Sandy. Many trees were also downed during the storm. The funding is being allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) public assistance grant program. The total cost of the project is $4,480,990.42, and FEMA covers 90 percent of the village’s costs.
“I applaud FEMA for recognizing the importance of this project and providing Westchester County the funding it needs for repairs to Glen Island Park, which was a victim of Hurricane Sandy’s wrath,” said Senator Schumer. “This Westchester treasure suffered serious damage during Hurricane Sandy and this federal disaster assistance goes a long way in taking the cost burden of repairs off of taxpayers and reassuring local residents that the federal government will be there as they continue their recovery efforts.”
“These long-awaited federal funds are a welcome relief for New Rochelle,” said Senator Gillibrand. “As Glen Island Park and the surrounding community continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, these FEMA funds will help ensure that local residents are not stuck with the bill for damages caused by the storm. A fully restored Glen Island Park will boost the area’s economy and reopen this precious Westchester beach for families throughout the area to enjoy.”
Through the public assistance program, FEMA provides reimbursement funding for eligible projects including those related to debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations. The PA Program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process. This reimbursement program is a cost share program, with the Federal government covering 90 percent of eligible costs.