Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded Orange County and Ulster County individual assistance to help rebuild and repair homes and businesses damaged by Tropical Storm Lee. Ulster County has also received public assistance for debris removal, emergency protective actions, and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities. Orange County is already eligible for public assistance. Schumer personally called Administrator Fugate, urging FEMA to extend this type of assistance as quickly as possible to both counties. Schumer and Gillibrand said that this was an important step in making sure that Orange and Ulster County gets the help it needs to recover from Lee.
“We knew all along that Ulster and Orange Counties needed help to cope with the devastation left by Lee. Now that FEMA has heeded our call and stepped up to the plate to make the necessary funding available, we can begin the process of helping repair and rebuild local infrastructure damaged in the storm, as well as ” said Schumer, who personally lobbied FEMA Director Fugate for both public assistance and the already granted individual assistance.
“This is great news for families and businesses in the Hudson Valley 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.”
FEMA’s individual assistance program includes range of programs, including home repair, temporary housing, grants for serious disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs. With individual assistance, Schumer and Gillibrand said that finally Ulster and Orange County residents would be getting the help they need to begin the difficult rebuilding process.
Through the PA Program, FEMA will provide Ulster County 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. Orange County was already deemed eligible for public assistance.