Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - It was announced on Thursday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that U.S. President Joe Biden has made federal disaster assistance available to Western New York to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the historic Christmas Weekend Blizzard spanning from Dec. 23-28, 2022.
This announcement nearly three weeks after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had submitted a request to President Biden for a Major Disaster Declaration to support communities impacted by the December blizzard.
The President's action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Erie and Niagara counties.
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"I want to thank the President for heeding my call to declare a Major Disaster Declaration for New York following the horrific December blizzard," said U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer on Thursday. "I spoke to President Biden about this on Air Force One, talked to his staff repeatedly, and now they have given us everything we've wanted."
The first part of the assistance plan is the inclusion of the cost of snow removal after making some calculations.
"That will allow us unlimited dollars to reimburse localities for the payments that they incurred," Sen. Schumer explained. "Had this not happened, had they not included snow assistance, we would have only gotten $5 million, which would have been too little."
Perhaps the more notable part of the assistance plan is the inclusion of funeral costs for families who lost a loved one as a result of the blizzard.
"Loved ones in the storm who were lost, their funeral expenses will be reimbursed. This doesn't happen every day. In fact, it's rare that this has ever been done," Sen. Schumer said. "Of course, the funeral assistance is not anywhere near enough to fill the empty chair at the dinner table of those who lost a loved one in this storm, but I hope it will alleviate one burden during this trying time."
Local and state officials will work together with FEMA to identify those who have incurred funeral-related expenses as a result of this weather event.
Sen. Schumer adds he will continue to fight for any federal assistance Western New York needs with the road to recovery remaining an uphill process. He says the assistance the region is receiving as a result of this Major Disaster Declaration is good news for the region.
"Winter Storm Elliot, as we know, was truly a once in a generation storm for Buffalo, Western New York and communities across the state. Terrifying conditions, historic snowfall, hurricane force winds that left thousands without power. For months, I've fought to raise the voices of people for Western New York at the highest level of government, as I mentioned. I called FEMA, I called the White House Chief of Staff repeatedly, and I lobbied the President even on Air Force One. And I'm very glad that last night, they came through."
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