July 20, 2023
By Nick Reisman
All upstate counties affected by the recent flooding should be included in a disaster declaration in order to access federal assistance, Rep. Elise Stefanik wrote Wednesday in a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul.
A swath of destruction in parts of New York created by recent flooding due to heavy rainfall has led to road closures and has been attributed to at least one death.
Hochul last week requested federal disaster assistance for a dozen counties: Albany, Clinton, Dutchess, Essex, Hamilton, Ontario, Orange, Oswego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland and Westchester.
But Stefanik believes more help is necessary for additional counties that experienced flooding and damage as a result.
“Aid to all affected is essential to a full recovery, and upstate New York and the North Country cannot be left out of this essential proces,” she wrote in a letter to Hochul. “Given that your initial request to FEMA neglected to include the July 1st and 2nd events, I strongly urge you to update that request to include a full, not just partial, accounting of the recent storms and flooding, for Clinton, Essex, and Hamilton. I request you work to move forward with a process that is closely coordinated with those who are on the front lines of this recovery effort.”
Cleanup costs are expected to exceed $50 million, and Hochul along with other state officials have also called for additional resiliency funding in order to bolster infrastructure against future flooding.
But at the moment, officials are urging additional support.
“I believe it is critical for the State of New York to work to ensure full restoration for all families, businesses, and neighborhoods affected by these disasters,” Stefanik wrote.
Read the article in Spectrum News 1 here.
