Today,
Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Eric
Massa applauded the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for
granting aid in the form of Public Assistance to Allegany County after
severe summer storms caused significant damage to the area. Public
Assistance provides aid to state and local governments and certain
private nonprofit organizations for emergency work.
“This
critical assistance is coming just in time for Allegany County after
public infrastructure was severely damaged in one of the wettest New
York summers in over a century,” said Schumer. “Allegany has sustained
major damages and this Public Assistance will help the county get back
on its feet.”
“This
is great news for more Western New York families,” Senator Gillibrand
said. “Families and businesses here were hit hard by the summer storms.
This federal assistance will make sure Allegany County gets the aid it
needs to recover.”
“I
commend Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for their hard work along with
my office and FEMA in assisting the community officials and volunteers
in obtaining emergency funding for those affected by the severe floods
of August 8-10. Helping our neighbors in time of need is
one of the most important things we can do as citizens and as elected
officials and I am pleased to see the release of this critical funding
so that the work of rebuilding this devastated area can continue,”
stated Rep. Eric Massa.
This
summer, severe storms ravaged communities and infrastructure throughout
New York State resulting in the wettest summer in New York in over 135
years. With soil unable to absorb additional rainwater, raging flood
waters severely damaged public infrastructure and debilitated municipal
resources. Heavy thunderstorms and severe flooding caused widespread
damage across Allegany and across the state: overturning foundations,
crippling water and wastewater systems, and rendering main
thoroughfares impassable.
Preliminary
Damage Assessments (PDAs) show that damage costs more than double the
nearly $25 million federal threshold for statewide costs to local and
state governments in several counties. As communities begin to pick up
the pieces from the devastating effects of this summer’s weather, many
of the affected local governments simply cannot bear the financial
burden on their own. Federal aid in the form of Public Assistance is
needed to help these communities recover.
Today,
after FEMA expanded the federal disaster declaration to Allegany,
Senators Schumer, Gillibrand and Rep. Massa announced that the federal
government will issue aid in the form of Public Assistance to cover the
costs of emergency work.
Public
Assistance would provide aid to the local governments for debris
removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or
restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities. FEMA will
pay for up to 75% of the claimed damages.