Schumer, Gillibrand Urge President And USDA To Swiftly Declare New York Counties Federal Disaster Areas; Storms Caused $38 Million In Damage To Land, Critical Infrastructure And Farms

Press Release

Schumer, Gillibrand Push FEMA to Speed Up Disaster Declaration in Twenty-Six NY Counties Following State's Request, Severe Rain and Flooding Have Caused Severe and Widespread Land and Property Damage

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand wrote to President Barack Obama and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, urging the immediate approval of New York State's recent request for a federal disaster declaration in response to the April 26th storms that caused more than $38 million in debris removal costs and damage to critical infrastructure. The affected counties include Allegany, Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Washington, Warren, and Yates. The Senators also wrote to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, urging him to immediately grant the state's request for disaster assistance to farmers who have been affected by a series of extreme spring storms.

"All across the state, the severe rains and flooding have caused millions of dollars of damage to land, residences, and critical infrastructure," said Schumer. "I urge President Obama and FEMA officials to immediately issue a disaster declaration for the twenty-six counties affected by the April 26th storm, because the bottom line is that residents and counties should not and cannot shoulder this financial burden on their own. Severe weather has also kept farmers across the state from planting their crops on time, putting their final harvest at risk. USDA should immediately provide the disaster assistance that Upstate farmers deserve."

"In the wake of these devastating storms, these New Yorkers should not be left shouldering all of the burden," Senator Gillibrand said. "We need FEMA to step in immediately so we can provide relief to the families, farms and businesses hit by this storm. I urge FEMA to expedite New York State's request for a federal disaster declaration so we can deliver help to families on the ground."

FEMA and New York State Office of Emergency Management (NYSOEM) have made several assessments of the damage, and have jointly estimated that the April 26, 2011, storms caused more than $38 million in debris removal costs and damage to critical infrastructure, including major roads and bridges. Damage assessment teams also estimate that the massive storm inflicted damage upon more than 1,000 residences, destroying at least fourteen homes in the process.

The state is currently seeking aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster assistance for the following categories of aid: 1) Individual Assistance for citizens who suffered losses, including the Individual and Households program, disaster unemployment insurance, and Small Business Administration loans; and 2) Public Assistance to reimburse communities for debris removal, emergency response efforts and restoration of public infrastructure to counties in New York State.

The state has also requested USDA agricultural disaster designation which would make farmers in disaster counties eligible for emergency loans and funding through the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE).

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