Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded Oneida County public assistance for infrastructure repairs in the wake of Tropical Storm Lee. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand said this is an important step in making sure that Oneida County gets the help it needs to recover from Lee.
“Based on what I saw in Whitesboro, it was absolutely clear that Oneida County deserved this assistance,” said Schumer. “In our conversation last night, I told Administrator Fugate Oneida needs FEMA’s help, and they need it now – he clearly got the message. Today, local governments become eligible for funding to make the critical repairs to our roads and bridges, taking another step forward on the road to recovery.”
“This is great news for families and businesses in Oneida County in dire need of help to dig out from this devastating storm, and begin to recover,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Now it’s time to put all necessary resources on the ground where we need them to bring relief. I will fight to secure all the federal funding our communities need.”
Through the public assistance program, FEMA provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for 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.
Oneida County was already awarded eligibility to FEMA’s individual assistance program, which includes home repair, temporary housing, grants for serious disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs.