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Cuomo Visits Mohawk Valley after Flooding. Calling for "Flowing" FEMA Funds

Governor Cuomo's Press Office

Governor Cuomo plans to follow up with the White House after he’s heard nothing about a request he made for federal disaster assistance to aid the Mohawk Valley.  Torrential downpours in late June caused extensive flooding.  Cuomo returned over the weekend to reassess conditions following the on-going recovery efforts.

“We just did a tour around and we saw the work underway and it’s amazing how much progress has been made in a relatively short period of time. We looked at some spots that we had seen about a week ago and it was just unimaginable with the destruction.”

The Governor gave credit to local elected officials and state employees who have worked extraordinarily well together.  He says progress has been made with emergency stabilization and repairs.  Now it’s time to take the next steps.

“There is helping homeowners rebuild their homes now – those 150 or so homes that have significant damage, and also helping make the local governments whole, because there is a lot of costs that have been incurred by the local governments, a lot of costs that will have to be incurred by the local governments – a lot of infrastructure work, a lot of road work, a lot of culvert work, etc.”

Cuomo says in order for people to be able rebuild their homes and lives; the money has to come from somewhere.  He says local governments also need assistance to pay for the damage.  The Governor hopes President Obama will declare the Mohawk Valley including the areas of Herkimer and Madison Counties a disaster area to get FEMA funds “flowing.”  If that doesn’t happen, Cuomo is prepared to call the State Legislature back to Albany for a special session to deal with the matter.
 

John Smith has been waking up WAER listeners for a long time as our Local Co-Host of Morning Edition with timely news and information, working alongside student Sportscasters from the Newhouse School.