NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — The federal government is sending disaster funds to the New York City area to aid in flood recovery necessary after extreme rain storms last September, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the White House announced on Wednesday.
President Joe Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for the NYC area, and has ordered FEMA funds become available on a cost-shared basis to state, tribal, eligible local governments and certain nonprofit organizations.
The funds can be used for recovery and reconstruction efforts in Brooklyn and Nassau and Westchester, counties and federal aid is also available statewide for hazard mitigation measures, the White House said.
New York State has already received federal low-interest recovery loans for home and business owners in Brooklyn and Nassau County, and Hochul said these additional funds can be used for debris removal, emergency protective measures and repairs to public infrastructure.
“I’m committed to securing every possible dollar of federal aid to help the people of New York,” Hochul said. “The major storm in September caused significant damage, and we’ll continue our efforts to help communities recover and rebuild.”
Hochul declared a State of Emergency on Sept. 29 when over a 24-hour period eight inches of rain fell in areas of Brooklyn and more than six inches fell in parts of Nassau and Westchester counties.
The devastation was vast, with the majority of mass transit disrupted throughout the storm and people needing rescue from their basement apartments or cars.
Public spaces like the Prospect Park Zoo were seriously damaged, and the zoo has been closed since. FEMA funds becoming available opens the path for reopening, the zoo said.
“We do not have a firm reopening date for Prospect Park Zoo, but we are making progress with restoration of our infrastructure,” Vice President of City Zoos for the Wildlife Conservation Society said. “The animals, which were not affected by the storm, continue to do well and our staff continues to care for the animals and the campus as always.”
The WCS acknowledged the increase in storms caused by climate change, and noted that efforts are being made to focus on building resiliency to escalating extreme weather.