Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer joined local leaders Wednesday in calling for a federal disaster declaration following the Christmas weekend blizzard.
Schumer called on President Biden and FEMA to swiftly approve any forthcoming request for a major disaster declaration from New York State for federal support and resources for the ongoing recovery in Western New York.
"Buffalo and Western New York have experienced a heart wrenching year of tragedies and the feds need to step up to provide every available federal dollar to help the community rebuild and be reimbursed for the immense costs incurred," said Schumer. "The damage assessments are already underway and there should be no delay in federal dollars flowing directly to Western New York because of this storm. This was a once in a generation blizzard, with long lasting effects that Buffalo and Erie County will feel for years to come, and the feds should provide all the support needed to get the community on the road to rapid recovery and a more prosperous 2023."
Schumer and fellow U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand stood together at FeedMore WNY's Food Warehouse in Buffalo on Wednesday, personally delivering $2 million in the end of year spending bill to help FeedMore expand their facilities and to increase productivity in delivering meals to some of Western New York's most underserved residents. FeedMore's efforts during Winter Storm Elliot were integral to assisting some of the region's most underserved communities, including the administering of daily wellness checks to all home-delivered meal clients, distributing emergency food kits, and replenishing backlogged emergency kits for those used throughout the storm.
The federal funding Schumer and Gillibrand have just delivered will help bolster FeedMore's operations even further as they enter 2023.
Schumer wants a federal declaration ASAP.
"We don't need bean counters getting in the way. This was a unique storm and we don't want nit-pickers in the way," he said.
Schumer also wants the feds to cover more than the required 75%, and Schumer says he wants 100% of the costs covered, done in other major disasters.
Schumer says the major disaster declaration will reimburse the costs of the damage caused by the storm, which claimed 40 lives in Erie and Niagara Counties.
