President Donald Trump made $35 million federal disaster assistance available to New York State to help efforts to recover from Tropical Storm Isaias, which predominantly impacted Long Island in August, officials said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said after Trump issued a major disaster declaration for LI, the funding is available to the state, local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work, the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Isaias in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and for hazard mitigation measures.
“The funding will allow the state and local governments to respond to the need and storm recovery,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday. “I’m grateful for the federal assistance and the speedy resolution.”
The storm downed thousands of trees and power lines, knocking out electricity Aug. 4 to more than 420,000 of the PSEG-Long Island’s 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk and the Rockaways, some for more than a week. Many proved unable to call, text, or access the website of the utility after the storm due to a related communications failure that sparked outrage across LI.
The outage prompted calls for the firing of PSEG-LI leadership, demands that the utility reimburse ratepayers for spoiled food and medicine — which it belatedly did — and sparked array of legislative proposals aimed at ensuring utility companies handle the next weather-related crisis more smoothly.
Seamus K. Leary has been named the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the area and additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments, FEMA said.
Related Story: PSEG-LI Head Vows Change, But Gives Few Details at Isaias Hearing
