Letter to FEMA Administrator Fugate - In Regards to the Appeals Submitted by the State University of New York (SUNY) for Damages to University Buildings on Several Campuses After Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee
Letter
I write in regards to the appeals submitted by the State University of New York (SUNY) for damages to university buildings on several campuses after Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. I urge you to adjudicate these appeals as soon as possible, and to ensure that the SUNY campuses receive all the FEMA funding to which they are entitled.
Numerous SUNY campuses were faced with significant amounts of damage in the wake of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. For example, the basement of Binghamton University's Downtown Center was inundated by flood water during Tropical Storm Lee, causing extensive damage to all electrical and mechanical services that support the building's functions. SUNY New Paltz also saw severe damage during Hurricane Irene; the basement of the Haggerty Administration Building flooded, causing severe damage to the building and knocking out power. These are just a few examples; other campuses across the state were also severely impacted by these storms.
While FEMA approved funding for many of these campuses in 2012, SUNY soon noticed that FEMA had deducted large sums from some of the projects as "anticipated flood insurance proceeds." According to SUNY, FEMA attributed Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) insurance to buildings that were not covered by DASNY insurance policies, which led to FEMA incorrectly deducting anticipated insurance proceeds from the grant. For example, when FEMA awarded funding to Binghamton University to repair the University Downtown Center Basement, FEMA deducted nearly $2.8 million in anticipated DASNY insurance proceeds, but the building was not covered by DASNY insurance. I urge you to adjudicate this appeal, and the other related SUNY appeals, to ensure that the campuses receive all of the funding they need and deserve to rebuild.
I appreciate FEMA's past support of the SUNY campuses, and I thank you for your attention to these important projects. Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff.
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