Sean Patrick Maloney Tours Ida Damage in Region

NEWBURGH – On September 9, 2021, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) hosted a storm damage tour in Dutchess and Orange County with East Fishkill Town Supervisor Nicholas D’Alessandro, Washingtonville Mayor Joseph Bucco, Blooming Grove Town Supervisor Robert C. Jeroloman, and Cornwall Town Supervisor Richard Randazzo. Following the tour, Rep. Maloney released the following statement:

“Tropical Storm Ida left our district with flooded homes, downed bridges, and damaged vehicles. While assessments are ongoing, state and federal experts estimate that Tropical Storm Ida caused over $50 million in destruction to public infrastructure and property,” said Rep. Maloney. “I have been working closely with local officials, communicating with the White House and Governor’s Office to get our towns, villages, and counties the federal resources we need to make a full recovery. We have made good progress in the last week, and more help is on the way.”

“We’re working hard to restore our infrastructure, after the East Hook Road Bridge was taken out by the storm. I’m thankful to have Congressman Maloney’s support in bringing in an emergency temporary bridge to reopen the road,” said East Fishkill Town Supervisor Nicholas D’Alessandro. “Government always works best when we work together.”

“The heavy flooding led to us declaring a state of emergency and closing schools. Some of our residents lost everything and continue to live in fear of flooding,” said Washingtonville Mayor Joseph Bucco. “I’m happy to have the support of Congressman Maloney, who is fighting in Washington to ensure that we recover from this devastation. We will come back stronger than ever before.”

“We’ve worked tirelessly to assess the damage to our roads and bridges, make repairs as soon as possible, keep our residents informed and pick up items that have been damaged for disposal,” said Cornwall Town Supervisor Richard Randazzo. “I thank Congressman Maloney for making the safety of residents and our infrastructure a top priority. We will continue making every effort to restore our community.”

Last week, Rep. Maloney joined his colleagues in Washington in sending President Biden two letters urging him to approve additional FEMA resources. Rep. Maloney has also shared resources with constituents, including protection and recovery assistance for farmers, how to report a power outage, tips for documenting damage, and general safety information for flooding in homes.

He joined Rep. Delgado urging President Joe Biden to stand ready to expeditiously approve Individual Assistance and other aid to the governments, small businesses, and residents of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties.

Rep. Maloney has a record of fighting for assistance and economic relief after natural disasters. In 2013, he announced a nearly $2 million investment for the Town of New Windsor to repair severe damage caused by Hurricane Irene, hosted a workshop that helped over two dozen community leaders apply for strategic investments to prevent damage from future disasters, and launched a webpage to help homeowners and businesses apply for federal recovery aid. In 2014, Rep. Maloney announced $11.5 million in additional Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Disaster Relief funding for Orange County to recover and rebuild from Irene. Last January, he encouraged Hudson Valley farmers impacted by natural disasters to apply for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Quality Loss Adjustment Program, which provided assistance to farmers who suffered crop quality losses due to natural disasters in 2018 or 2019. Rep. Maloney will continue working urgently across party lines and all layers of government to ensure that the Hudson Valley makes a full recovery from Tropical Storm Ida.

To receive federal aid in the wake of a disaster, the governor must request approval from the President. There are two types of disaster declarations:
Preliminary Disaster Assessment
State and federal officials conduct a joint federal, state, and local Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) to determine the extent of the disaster and its impact on individuals and public facilities. This information is included in the governor’s request to show that the disaster is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and the local governments and that supplemental federal assistance is necessary. Once the governor has submitted their request for assistance, the President reviews the proposal and approves or denies it.

Declaration Types
Emergency Declarations: An Emergency Declaration can be declared for any occasion or instance when the President determines federal assistance is needed. Emergency Declarations supplement State and local efforts in providing emergency services, such as the protection of lives, property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States. The total amount of assistance provided for a single emergency may not exceed $5 million.

Major Declaration: The President can declare a Major Disaster Declaration for any natural event that the President believes has caused damage of such severity that it is beyond the combined capabilities of state and local governments to respond. A major disaster declaration provides a wide range of federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including funds for both emergency and permanent work.

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