{"id":109983,"date":"2019-12-03T11:04:58","date_gmt":"2019-12-03T16:04:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=109983"},"modified":"2019-12-03T11:04:58","modified_gmt":"2019-12-03T16:04:58","slug":"lawmakers-support-of-new-yorks-request-for-a-major-disaster-declaration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=109983","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers support of New York\u2019s request for a major disaster declaration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Following catastrophic floods, Brindisi, Schumer,\nGillibrand lead bipartisan, bicameral, push for President Trump to approve disaster\ndeclaration<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"220\" height=\"279\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/220px-Kirsten_Gillibrand_official_portrait_112th_Congress.jpg?resize=220%2C279&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"104028\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/220px-Kirsten_Gillibrand_official_portrait_112th_Congress.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?attachment_id=104028\" class=\"wp-image-104028\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/220px-Kirsten_Gillibrand_official_portrait_112th_Congress.jpg?w=220&amp;ssl=1 220w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/220px-Kirsten_Gillibrand_official_portrait_112th_Congress.jpg?resize=118%2C150&amp;ssl=1 118w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"811\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Charles_Schumer_official_portrait.jpg?resize=640%2C811&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"67605\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Charles_Schumer_official_portrait.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?attachment_id=67605\" class=\"wp-image-67605\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Charles_Schumer_official_portrait.jpg?resize=710%2C900&amp;ssl=1 710w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Charles_Schumer_official_portrait.jpg?resize=118%2C150&amp;ssl=1 118w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Charles_Schumer_official_portrait.jpg?resize=237%2C300&amp;ssl=1 237w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Charles_Schumer_official_portrait.jpg?resize=768%2C974&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Charles_Schumer_official_portrait.jpg?resize=400%2C507&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Charles_Schumer_official_portrait.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Charles_Schumer_official_portrait.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Sen. Charles Schumer<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"220\" height=\"220\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Rep-Anthony-Brindisi-Congress.jpg?resize=220%2C220&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"102245\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Rep-Anthony-Brindisi-Congress.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?attachment_id=102245\" class=\"wp-image-102245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Rep-Anthony-Brindisi-Congress.jpg?w=220&amp;ssl=1 220w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Rep-Anthony-Brindisi-Congress.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Rep. Anthony Brindisi<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Congressman Anthony Brindisi, Senators Charles E. Schumer\nand Kirsten Gillibrand, joined by Representatives Elise Stefanik, Antonio\nDelgado, John Katko, Paul Tonko, Tom Reed and Brian Higgins, led a bipartisan\nletter to President Donald Trump urging him to approve a major disaster\ndeclaration in New York following recent flooding. The bipartisan, bicameral\ngroup of lawmakers pushed President Trump to declare a major disaster in order\nto release critical funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCommunities across Upstate New York saw horrific damage and\nheartbreak during these floods,\u201d&nbsp;<strong>Brindisi said<\/strong>. \u201cI am calling on\nPresident Trump to declare a major disaster and release funds from FEMA to help\nmake these communities whole. These dollars won\u2019t bring back what families\nlost, but they will go a long way to try and help our counties rebuild.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis Halloween, our state, from one corner to the other,\nsaw severe damage after being ravaged by heavy rain, flooding and tempestuous\nwinds,\u201d&nbsp;<strong>said Schumer.<\/strong>&nbsp;\u201cIt is absolutely critical that we get\nthese upstate communities the federal aid they need and deserve. This immense\ndamage totaled more than $30 million in costs suffered and demands swift help\nfrom the feds to repair and recover. FEMA should approve New York state\u2019s\nrequest for a disaster declaration as soon as possible, so that counties across\nthe state can continue recovering and rebuilding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPowerful storms from October caused power outages,\nflooding, and downed trees across Upstate New York, and communities in 18\ncounties in our state are still working to clean up extensive damage and repair\neroded roads and other infrastructure,\u201d&nbsp;<strong>said Gillibrand<\/strong>. \u201cThey need\nhelp now, and President Trump should waste no time approving New York\u2019s request\nfor a major disaster declaration for the widespread damage these storms had to\nour neighborhoods, businesses and roadways. The federal government has a\nresponsibility to assist in recovery efforts, and I will continue to do\neverything I can to help our communities get the relief they need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn Oswego County and across New York state, flooding and\nsustained winds have resulted in severe damage to homes and businesses,\nresulting in financial hardship for the families and businesses\naffected,\u201d&nbsp;<strong>said Katko<\/strong>. \u201cIt is imperative we provide the necessary\nresources to rehabilitate damaged properties, and for this reason I am proud to\njoin my colleagues in urging swift approval of New York state\u2019s request to\ndeclare this a major disaster. With this declaration, we will ensure the proper\nassistance is granted to those in need of these resources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe devastating floods in October and November swamped our\nrural communities across New York and I am grateful to the first responders and\nemergency crews who worked day and night to restore power and assist those in\nneed.\u201d&nbsp;<strong>Delgado said<\/strong>, \u201cI join my colleagues in urging the President\nto declare the flooding in these upstate counties as a major disaster and\nrelease federal funding to support the rehabilitation of our communities in the\nflood zone. I will continue to urge the Administration to work alongside state\nand local officials to coordinate resources and facilitate redevelopment\nefforts of Montgomery and Otsego County infrastructure that was damaged by the\nstorm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In order to receive money from FEMA, the state of New York\nconducted a Preliminary Damage Assessment in coordination with FEMA and must\nrequest a disaster declaration. The Governor made that request November 26<sup>th<\/sup>.\nThe request now requires Presidential approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to FEMA, in order to meet the threshold for public\nassistance, the impacted counties and the state must both meet a monetary\ndamage threshold. That threshold varies by county and the state threshold is\n$29.6 million.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe write in strong support of the State of New York\u2019s\nrequest for a major disaster declaration for the widespread damage and flooding\ncaused by heavy rains and strong sustained winds on October 31, 2019,\u201d&nbsp;<strong>the\nlawmakers wrote.&nbsp;<\/strong>\u201cThere is no doubt that this damage has overwhelmed\nstate and local governments, and that a major disaster declaration is\nnecessary. Federal assistance programs will be critical, so that our\ncommunities can recover from the flood damage. We strongly support the State of\nNew York\u2019s request for a major disaster declaration in the areas impacted by\nthis storm event.&nbsp; We appreciate your swift attention and consideration of\nthis request and stand ready to work with you and the U.S. Federal Emergency\nManagement Agency to deliver support and resources to the impacted\ncommunities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lawmakers\u2019 bipartisan letter is below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Dear President Trump:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>We write in strong support of the State of New York\u2019s\nrequest for a major disaster declaration for the widespread damage and flooding\ncaused by heavy rains and strong sustained winds on October 31, 2019 and\ncontinued until November 1, 2019. Enclosed is a copy of the Governor\u2019s\nrequest.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>These punishing storms caused significant damage across\nUpstate New York, including sustained damage leading to displaced residents,\nuninhabitable homes, destroyed roads, and the tragic death of Father J. Thomas\nConnery of Glenville, NY. A joint federal, state, and local Preliminary Damage\nAssessment completed on November 25, 2019 revealed that damages and eligible\ncosts exceeded $33 million.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Reflecting the statewide damage from these heavy rains\nand strong sustained winds, Governor Andrew Cuomo requested that you declare a\nmajor disaster on November 26, 2019, pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford\nDisaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 93-288), including hazard\nmitigation statewide and Public Assistance for Chautauqua, Chenango, Cortland,\nErie, Essex, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery,\nOneida, Oswego, Otsego, Saratoga, Tioga and Warren Counties and Individual\nAssistance for Essex, Hamilton, Herkimer, and Oneida Counties.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>There is no doubt that this damage has overwhelmed state\nand local governments, and that a major disaster declaration is necessary.\nFederal assistance programs will be critical, so that our communities can\nrecover from the flood damage. We thank the Governor and the State for their\nwork thus far and strongly support the request for a major disaster declaration\nin the areas impacted by this storm event.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>We appreciate your swift attention and consideration of\nthis request and stand ready to work with you and the U.S. Federal Emergency\nManagement Agency to deliver support and resources to the impacted communities.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following catastrophic floods, Brindisi, Schumer, Gillibrand lead bipartisan, bicameral, push for President Trump to approve disaster declaration Congressman Anthony Brindisi, Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, joined by Representatives Elise Stefanik, Antonio Delgado, John Katko, Paul Tonko, Tom Reed and Brian Higgins, led a bipartisan letter to President Donald Trump urging him to approve [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":102245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23810,32,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-109983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellbeing","category-crime","category-top-story"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Rep-Anthony-Brindisi-Congress.jpg?fit=220%2C220&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p43meu-sBV","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109983","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=109983"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109983\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/102245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=109983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=109983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=109983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}