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Governor Cuomo announces Federal Disaster Aid for Herkimer and Hamilton Counties

By WKTV News

Story Created: Sep 14, 2011 at 4:49 PM EDT

Story Updated: Sep 14, 2011 at 4:49 PM EDT

HERKIMER and HAMILTON COUNTIES, N.Y. - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced Wednesday that federal disaster assistance is now available for homeowners, renters, businesses and municipalities in additional counties as a result of damages incurred by Hurricane Irene.

Wednesday's additions include:
•Individual Assistance: Herkimer
•Public Assistance: Franklin, Hamilton and Herkimer

Residents and small businesses in a total of 28 counties are now eligible to apply for the following assistance: the Individuals and Households Program, Crisis Counseling, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, USDA food coupons and distribution, USDA food commodities, Disaster Legal Services, the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Small Business Administration disaster loans.

The counties currently eligible for assistance from Hurricane Irene are as follows:

•Individual Assistance (Assistance to individuals and households): Albany, Bronx, Columbia, Clinton, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Herkimer, Kings, Montgomery, Nassau, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington and Westchester counties.

•Public Assistance (Assistance for debris removal, emergency protective actions and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities): Albany, Bronx, Clinton, Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Kings, Montgomery, Nassau, New York, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington and Westchester counties. Direct federal assistance is authorized.

The counties currently eligible for assistance from Tropical Storm Lee are as follows:

•Individual Assistance (Assistance to individuals and households): Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Schenectady and Tioga counties.

All counties in the State of New York are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (Assistance for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards).

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362.

Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

Additional counties may be made eligible for federal assistance as ongoing damage assessments are completed.

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