Schumer Calls on Administration to Reverse Rejection of FEMA Emergency Aid to Help Li Recover from December Blizzard-FEMA Declined Disaster Declaration Earlier this Month

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged FEMA to quickly approve New York State's anticipated appeal of their disaster declaration denial. Nassau and Suffolk counties were devastated after the destructive December 19-20 blizzard blanketed the area dumping nearly 30 inches of snow. Cash-strapped localities incurred tens of millions of dollars in costs due to damage to infrastructure as well as emergency costs. While New York State applied for federal aid with Schumer's support in January, FEMA denied the application on March 2nd. Schumer says FEMA made the wrong decision and is applying pressure to ensure Long Island gets the help it needs. New Jersey was approved for aid for the same storm.

"This decision was flat wrong and we are going to fight tooth and nail to reverse it. During these tough economic times, Long Island communities simply cannot handle the clean-up and recovery process from this blizzard themselves," Schumer said. "Long Island's first responders and emergency workers have done an outstanding job cleaning up after the storm and assisting the people of Long Island get back on track, but they shouldn't be the ones to foot the bill. No community can budget for these massive Nor'easters and snow storms, and it is up to the federal government to assist when it has the duty and power to do so."

The snow storms that slammed Long Island on December 19-20, 2009, yielded almost thirty inches of snow. This monumental snow storm immobilized the region's airports and pushed emergency response capabilities to the limit. The counties on Long Island were already struggling to recover from the presidentially declared Nor'easter, and the record breaking December snowstorm devastated budgets already decimated by the cost of recovering from this event. A third storm of this size and scope would completely overwhelm both a municipality's budget and their ability to effectively manage the response and recovery efforts.

Snow removal and emergency protective response costs in Suffolk County already exceed more than $11 per person, more than triple FEMA's county threshold for public assistance. Nassau County's per capita impact was $4.20, well in excess of FEMA's established threshold. Furthermore, state emergency management officials reported that damage assessments for Nassau, Suffolk, and New York City exceeded $30 million, well above the state statewide threshold.

Initial estimates report that Nassau County alone spent $1.2 million for clean up, not including police overtime. The Town of Hempstead reported more than $1 million, with the towns of North Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Glen Cove, Valley Stream, Freeport all spending well over $100,000. In Suffolk, estimates show over $15 million in damage, with the Town of Brookhaven being one of the hardest-hit Towns, reporting $3 million in costs alone. The Town of Islip also reported nearly $1 million in costs.

According to the National Weather Service, Long Island was one of the hardest-hit places in the country. In the Town of Brookhaven for example, 26.3 inches was measured in Upton by the National Weather Service, which represents the highest total snowfall in a single storm since 1949. The previous record was 23 inches in 1978.

A storm of this magnitude left cash-strapped communities across Long Island with hefty cleanup costs, business closures, snow cleanup and removal, and home and infrastructure repair costs in the millions of dollars. The severity and magnitude of this storm is beyond the capabilities of the effected local governments.

If FEMA approves the disaster declaration, Nassau and Suffolk would be in line to receive millions in federal reimbursements. These reimbursements cover a wide range of costs including debris removal, overtime reimbursements to municipal employees, and to repairing/rebuilding public roads, bridges, buildings. When feds grant PA money to county, it means the feds will cover 75% of the tab, with states and locals making up the remaining 25%.

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