Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State will cover the local share of disaster response and recovery costs resulting from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) usually covers 75% of eligible disaster response and recovery costs, and the remaining 25% is typically shared equally by the state and localities. Under the Governor's direction, the state will pick up the local share for most eligible expenses, making $61 million available to 25 counties to cover costs associated with emergency shelter, road, water system and infrastructure repair, stream and riverbed mitigation, and other clean-up projects.

"Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee devastated communities across our state, uprooting lives and placing a tremendous financial strain on families and local governments," Governor Cuomo said. "During the storms and their aftermath, New Yorkers in an outpouring of goodwill came together to lend a hand to their neighbors, and now it is the state's turn to lend a hand to localities. I am pleased that New York State could step up to the plate and provide tens of millions of dollars in funding to take the pressure off local governments and taxpayers, and allow existing rebuilding and recovery projects to move forward as quickly as possible."

Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee caused widespread destruction across New York late last summer, marking one of the largest disasters in the state's history. The total storm recovery cleanup cost is expected to exceed $1.6 billion and involve approximately 15,000 separate response and recovery projects.

The state is able to cover the local share of costs through funding put in place by the Legislature and additional federal funds requested by the Governor.

Counties receiving funds include:

County	Estimated Cost of Recovery Projects	Local Share (to be covered by state)
Albany	15,142,464	1,892,808
Broome	75,223,597	9,402,950
Chemung	12,560,712	1,570,089
Chenango	12,590,751	1,573,844
Clinton	5,158,720	644,840
Columbia	5,205,259	650,657
Delaware	31,705,692	3,963,212
Essex	14,538,328	1,817,291
Franklin	914,856	114,357
Greene	35,586,702	4,448,338
Hamilton	80,546	10,068
Herkimer	1,332,126	166,516
Montgomery	7,902,476	987,809
Oneida	3,442,192	430,274
Otsego	12,196,474	1,524,559
Rensselaer	28,214,874	3,526,859
Saratoga	4,120,447	515,056
Schenectady	14,982,951	1,872,869
Schoharie	102,577,294	12,822,162
Sullivan	3,698,124	462,265
Tioga	57,458,601	7,182,325
Tompkins	2,831,347	353,918
Ulster	30,029,238	3,753,655
Warren	6,075,199	759,400
Washington	3,778,212	472,277
Total	487,347,182	60,918,398

State Senator Tom Libous said, "Our area was hit hard by flooding and by its after effects, which our local governments are struggling to afford. Many municipalities are faced with doing nothing or raising property taxes to cover the local share of the recovery. We worked with Governor Cuomo to have the state pick up this cost so that we can continue moving forward without harming our local taxpayers."

State Senator Hugh Farley said, "This action will provide much needed financial relief for local communities which were hit hard by last year's flooding. I had advocated for this assistance and I applaud the governor for working with us in responding to the plight of these communities."

State Senator James L. Seward said, "Immediately after Irene and Lee hit I implored the governor to take this step, and I co-sponsored legislation that would require the state to pick up the local share of flood repair costs. Communities have banded together to rebuild, and the state has been there every step of the way, but the mounting repair bills have been looming. Removing this substantial burden from the shoulders of local government and taxpayers is a vital step toward a full recovery both physically and fiscally."

State Senator Betty Little said, "The local response to last year’s devastating flooding truly was remarkable. Our elected officials, emergency directors and first responders did a tremendous job in the hours, days and weeks following the storm. However, meeting the financial challenge of
recovery has been a real challenge for local governments with limited resources, so I am very pleased to see New York State pick up the local share. I thank Governor Cuomo for his commitment and interest in seeing the best possible outcome for the North Country. He’s been with us every step of the way."

"With this flood relief funding announcement, New York State is telling our flood-ravaged areas that we are still here to help rebuild," said Assemblymember Aileen Gunther. "This funding will provide additional support to these areas while minimizing the burden for local governments, a win for both our neighbors and our towns."

"This funding will be an enormous help to cash-strapped local governments and school districts," said Assemblymember Donna Lupardo. "This will save taxpayers money and help the flood recovery efforts in the Southern Tier. We were able to pick up the local share of expenses not covered by FEMA after the flooding in 2006. I am grateful that this type of the assistance will be coming to our community once again."

"Hurricane Irene caused some of the worst local flooding recorded in recent history with damages that estimated over $1 million for the Mohawk Valley," Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi said. "This federal aid will save local taxpayers from having to pick up the costs of rebuilding what was lost after Irene’s destruction. I applaud Governor Cuomo’s diligence in this matter, and look forward to the revitalization of our communities."