On July 8, 2014, President Obama issued a major disaster declaration for New York State following severe storms and flooding in Allegany, Cattarugus, Chautauqua, Delaware, Herkimer, Lewis, Livingston, Ontario, Ostego, Steuben, and Yates counties between May 13 and May 22, 2014.1

The President also ordered additional federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the affected areas. The aid extends to state, eligible local governments and certain non-profits on a cost sharing basis for emergency work and repair and replacement of damaged properties. The funding is also available on a cost sharing basis for hazard mitigation throughout the entire state and will be administered to the states through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The aid will be administered “as needed and warranted” under the President’s disaster declaration. The assistance for the State and eligible Local governments will be available for specified purposes per the declaration and may include:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. Emergency protective measures assistance is available to state and eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, state administered.)

Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by state and local governments to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters.2

The application process for state and local governments will be announced through a series of “applicant briefings” by the federal government and recovery officials.

1 President Obama Signs New York Disaster Declaration, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/07/08/president-obama-signs-new-york-disaster-declaration
2 Federal Aid Programs For The State of New York Declaration, https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2014/07/08/federal-aid-programs-state-new-york-declaration