Schumer: 3 Major Storms Socked Metro Area and Yet No Federal Aid has Arrived; Local Budgets Already Stressed - Senator Demands Feds Expedite Aid Now

Press Release

In the aftermath of another pounding rain storm, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer is calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to expedite disaster aid for the New York metropolitan region. In the last four months, New York has been soaked with record breaking rain, buried under two feet of snow, and suffered from wind storms that gusted up to 75 mph, knocking trees down and cutting power off to tens of thousands of residents in New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley.

In December, the New York metropolitan region saw upwards of two feet of snow in some areas and despite the havoc is caused on local communities, FEMA denied New York's request for federal aid. New York is currently appealing that decision. In mid-March a rain storm with winds gusting up to 75 mph brought trees and power lines down, decimated beaches in Long Island, flooded parkways, and left thousands without power throughout the region. This week's most recent rain storm only compounded the problem and brought record rainfalls totals to the New York City region for the month of March.

"In the past four months New York has been hit with a series of major storms that have brought a great deal of damage and exhausted local resources," said Schumer. "Yet despite the clear damage these storms have caused and the massive cost incurred by local governments, FEMA has yet to provide any federal aid. That's simply unacceptable. It's time to Fast Track aid."

With damage estimates of $30 million from December's snow storm and estimates of $45 million from the mid-March wind and rain storm, total costs for the region could top $100 million after all assessments are completed from this week's rain.

"FEMA needs to look at these storms in their totality and recognize this kind of consistent and unrelenting weather beating is strapping local budgets," continued Schumer. "FEMA needs to expedite aid now to bring some much needed relief to the region."

Schumer is calling on FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to accept the appeal New York has submitted for December's snow storm, expedite the declaration that was requested for mid-March and move quickly on assessing this week's rain storm damage so that localities can be reimbursed for their relief efforts.

If FEMA approves the disaster declaration, locals 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.

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