ALBANY — The state has made $7.9 million in grant funds available to 584 entities to repair storm damage suffered last fall, including 29 in Clinton and Essex counties.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that up to $20,000 is available to small businesses, farms, multiple-unit dwellings and nonprofits that qualified for the Business Flood Recovery Grant Program, administered by Empire State Development.
It is to be used to repair damage caused when the remnants of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee passed through the area.
“Helping our communities recover from the devastating floods has remained a top priority, and today, we have matched that commitment with critical funding to support their resurgence,” Cuomo said in a press release. “This grant program will help those who were hit hardest by the floods get the resources they need to rebuild.”
The funding is geared to help offset the costs of storm-related repairs and restoration of structures not covered by insurance or other federal, state or local recovery programs. Empire State Development reviewed applications before determining eligibility and the awards.
Nearly 1,000 applications were received, and Empire State Development continues to work with businesses to ensure the remaining applications are complete and all possible flood assistance is provided.
All awards are pending public hearings and final approval by the Public Authorities Control Board, which are expected to be completed by first week of August.
A list of funded projects is available at: http://esd.ny.gov/DisasterRecovery
/2012_HurricaneIrene
FundedProjects.pdf.
State Sen. Betty Little praised the Cuomo administration for its response to last year’s flooding and noted that “recovery from the devastation is a long and ongoing process.”
The State Legislature passed Cuomo’s Flood Recovery Grant Program in December 2011 to ensure continued recovery efforts in regions of the state hit hardest by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The program was officially launched in January 2012.
The new law includes support for communities recovering from the storms through the $21 million Business Flood Recovery Grant Program and the $9 million Flood Mitigation Grant Program, which is administered jointly by Empire State Development and the Department of Environmental Conservation.
In addition, New York State is providing $7 million in funding so counties can meet their 25 percent non-federal match requirements for eligible federally funded stream-restoration projects through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
