A Year After Hurricane Sandy, More Than $2.1 Billion In FEMA Public Assistance Grants In New York Helps Clear Debris, Reopen Public Facilities

NEW YORK – More than $2.1 billion in federal aid has been approved to reimburse state, local and tribal governments for Sandy-related response and recovery efforts in New York one year after the devastating storm.

Public Assistance grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburse local, state and tribal governments and eligible private nonprofits for eligible costs of emergency response, debris removal and repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities. In New York, more than 2,700 grants have been approved so far.

FEMA’s cost-share Public Assistance program reimburses 90 percent of eligible costs. The remaining 10 percent comes from nonfederal funds. The state forwards the federal reimbursement to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs.

The largest single Public Assistance project to date is nearly $402 million to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for the Rapid Repairs program that allowed survivors to remain in their storm-damaged homes while repairs were made. The work also included infrastructure repairs at the Rockaway, North River and other wastewater treatment plants, pump stations, drinking water facilities and sewers.

Other major Public Assistance obligations include:

• Nearly $325 million to the Long Island Power Authority for repairs to overhead lines and emergency work;

• Nearly $180 million to New York University Langone Medical Center for emergency work, including the evacuation of more than 250 patients, the restoration of critical services and facilities, the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials and wastewater, debris and mold, repairs, and replacement of its information technology network.
• $130 million to the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation for emergency work, cleanup, temporary relocation, repairs and replacement of contents at various HHC facilities, including Coney Island Hospital;

• Nearly $128 million to the New York City Police Department for evacuations, search-and-rescue operations, distribution of critical equipment, door-to-door checks, the removal of fallen trees, traffic regulation and monitoring of fuel rationing during the gas shortage caused by Sandy;

• More than $119 million to the New York City Department of Sanitation for debris removal;

• Nearly $115 million to Nassau County for debris removal throughout the county;

• Nearly $58 million to the state of New York Department of Transportation for debris removal;

• More than $31 million to Long Beach for emergency work and repairs to waste water pump stations and fire hydrants;

• More than $31 million to the town of Hempstead for debris removal and emergency work;

• More than $13 million to the New York City Fire Department for coordinating more than 500 swift-water boat rescues, conducting more than 1,000 evacuations, extinguishing fires, searching 3,100 homes and businesses during Hurricane Sandy’s immediate aftermath, and temporary generators for Manhattan fire stations;

• Nearly $7 million to Long Beach Public Schools for emergency protective measures and repairs at school and administrative facilities;

• More than $2.1 million to Long Beach Memorial Nursing Home for emergency protective measures, demolition, cleanup and flood-related repairs.

To learn more about FEMA Public Assistance in New York, visit: fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/sandyny,  twitter.com/FEMASandy, facebook.com/FEMASandy and fema.gov/blog.