President Obama Signs New York Disaster Declaration

Last week, the President declared a major disaster exists in the State of New York and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and straight-line winds on September 16, 2010.

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and tornadoes in the counties of Kings, Queens, and Richmond.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Philip E. Parr as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

STATEMENT OF MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SIGNING OF A DISASTER DECLARATION FOR AREAS OF NEW YORK CITY DAMAGED BY THE SEPTEMBER TORNADOES

"By signing a Public Assistance Declaration for Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, President Obama has cleared the way for the reimbursement of millions of dollars of costs incurred by New York City for clean up following the violent storm that struck on September 16th. Two tornadoes and a violent windstorm left a deadly trail of destruction that downed thousands of trees, destroyed hundreds of sections of sidewalk, and caused severe damage to some homes and businesses. The declaration means that New York City will be reimbursed for nearly 90 percent of the cost of the massive clean-up effort and for the repairs to sidewalks, parks and playgrounds in neighborhoods in Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens.

"I want to thank President Obama for dispatching a team to survey the damage and for quickly reviewing New York City's case. I also want to thank the hundreds of New Yorkers who picked up trees and branches in their neighborhoods and also those who called 311 to report storm damage. Those calls helped us show the survey teams the hardest hit parts of the City and helped New York City meet the application requirements for this declaration. The Federal government is still considering whether to award individual assistance for those who suffered uninsured losses, and I am hopeful that request will be granted.

"I'd also like to thank Governor Paterson and the State Emergency Management Office for sending the City's application to Washington and Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and the New York City congressional delegation for their efforts to see that this application through the process, particularly Representatives Anthony Weiner, Gary Ackerman, Michael McMahon and Joe Crowley, whose districts were hard hit. Members of the City Council, State Assembly and State Senate also contributed to the effort.

"Crews from across the City responded to the storm-damaged areas, as well as crews from Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties; several state agencies; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; and the National Guard. I'd like to thank them all, along with the City Office of Emergency Management, the Parks Department and the Department of Design and Construction for their efforts."