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Removing Obstacles on the Road to Recovery

70 percent of Hurricane Sandy’s 6 million cubic yards of debris has been picked up

Hurricane Sandy’s strong winds, heavy rain and storm surge brought down trees and power lines, damaged houses, schools and businesses and in its wake created an estimated six million cubic yards of debris in New York state. In the seven weeks since the hurricane made landfall, 4.2 million cubic yards, 70 percent, has been collected.

In New York City alone, Hurricane Sandy left an estimated 2 million cubic yards of debris. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the City of New York Department of Sanitation have worked together to remove 1.8 million cubic yards, 90 percent of that debris.

“This has been a tremendous joint effort between FEMA, the Corps of Engineers, New York State, New York City and other local governments,” said Michael F. Byrne, FEMA federal coordinating officer. “Collecting and disposing of debris helps to clear the path for people to get back into their homes, schools to reopen and businesses to resume operations. “

After collection, debris is trucked to temporary staging areas where it is inspected and separated into categories. Items that can be recycled are prepared for reuse. Sand that was removed from roads near the shoreline is being sifted so it can be reused. Where practical, vegetative debris is ground and chipped. The remaining debris is disposed of in the safest, most cost effective manner possible.

The FEMA Public Assistance program reimburses state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations at least 75 percent of eligible debris removal costs. The remaining 25 percent comes from non-federal funds.

For debris removal to be eligible, the damage must be a direct result of Hurricane Sandy, and the work must be necessary to:

Eliminate an immediate threat to lives, public health and safety,
Eliminate immediate threats of significant damage to improved public and private property when the measures are cost effective, or
Ensure the economic recovery of the affected community to the benefit of the community-at-large.

To date, the Public Assistance program has awarded more than $98 million to local governments to assist with the cost of debris removal. For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, http://twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog.

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Removing Obstacles on the Road to Recovery

Greene County Designated for FEMA Public Assistance for Sandy Response, Rebuilding Costs

14 New York counties now eligible for public infrastructure repair, emergency work and cleanup reimbursement

NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today that Greene County is now eligible for disaster aid under the FEMA Public Assistance program.

The Public Assistance program reimburses state and local governments, tribal organizations and certain private nonprofit entities at least 75 percent of costs for disaster-related expenses associated with emergency protective measures, debris removal, and the repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure. The remaining 25 percent comes from non-federal funds.

In order to qualify, damage must be a direct result of Hurricane Sandy.

“I am pleased to announce that Greene County has been added to the disaster declaration,” said Michael F. Byrne, FEMA federal coordinating officer. “As the recovery continues, FEMA is working with our state and local partners to rebuild New York. We have been here since the beginning and will stay here until our work is done.”

With the addition of Greene County, there are now 14 New York counties designated for Public Assistance under President Obama’s federal disaster declaration for New York, including: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester and Greene.

In the seven weeks since Hurricane Sandy made landfall, FEMA has awarded more than

$318 million to local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations.

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

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Greene County Designated for FEMA Public Assistance for Sandy Response, Rebuilding Costs

Governor Cuomo Announces $20 Million FEMA Grant to Help New York City Pay for Cleaning Up after Hurricane Sandy

NEW YORK – Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a $20 million Public Assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the City of New York Department of Sanitation to help pay for costs incurred cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy. With this grant, FEMA has awarded more than $318 million in Public Assistance funds to New York State since the storm.

“As New York City and the downstate region recover from Hurricane Sandy, we will continue to work closely with the federal government to get as much financial assistance as possible,” Governor Cuomo said. “This grant from FEMA will help the city cover clean-up costs that we simply cannot afford on our own. I thank the agency for their commitment to our state.”

“New Yorkers have done an extraordinary job preparing for and responding to the storm,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Michael F. Byrne. “As we begin the recovery, FEMA’s commitment to New York has never been stronger. We will be here until the job is finished.”

The $20 million awarded today is in addition to a previous grant of $26 million to help cover 75 percent of the Department of Sanitation’s estimated expenses for debris removal in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Other FEMA Public Assistance funds awarded to New York so far includes:

New York University Langone Medical Center: $149.5 million to reimburse the cost of evacuating patients, performing emergency repairs, cleaning facilities and replacing critical equipment.
New York Police Department: $75,660,695 to help pay for uniformed and civilian personnel who patrolled streets, distributed food and water to hurricane survivors and assisted residents in obtaining emergency medical care.
City of New York Department of Sanitation: $46,793,952 to reimburse labor and equipment expenditures for the removal of an estimated 1.3 million cubic yards of debris.
City of Long Beach: $24,315,825 for expenses incurred collecting and clearing more than 700,000 cubic yards of debris scattered across the city.
Nassau County: $18,086,238 for costs associated with debris removal and disposal throughout the county.
Nassau County: $2,812,500 to help pay for the implementation of the Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power (STEP) Program.
Suffolk County: $1,125,000 for costs associated with STEP

The FEMA Public Assistance program reimburses state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations 75 percent of costs for disaster-related expenses associated with emergency protective measures, debris removal, and the repair and restoration of damaged infrastructure. In order to qualify, damage must be a direct result of Hurricane Sandy.

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

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Governor Cuomo Announces $20 Million FEMA Grant to Help New York City Pay for Cleaning Up after Hurricane Sandy

FEMA to Maintain Presence at New SBA Center in St. John Parish

BATON ROUGE, La. — To continue serving Hurricane Isaac survivors in St. John Parish, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has partnered with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide assistance specialists at the SBA’s new Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC), which opens Friday in LaPlace.

“Even though the registration period ends today, we know many Louisianians still have questions regarding their applications for assistance, or simply prefer to talk with someone face to face,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar. “The continued presence of Individual Assistance professionals in the new SBA center highlights our commitment to helping eligible hurricane survivors here in Louisiana.”

The DLOC is located at:

2015 W. Airline Hwy.

LaPlace, LA 70068

The center opens at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 30. Its hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, until further notice.

Hurricane Isaac survivors throughout Louisiana can still contact FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit online at www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of funding for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

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FEMA to Maintain Presence at New SBA Center in St. John Parish

FEMA Obligates $1.1 Million to St. Tammany Parish for Debris Removal

BATON ROUGE, La. – A $1.1 million federal grant has been awarded to St. Tammany Parish to help with costs for removing debris created by Hurricane Isaac’s high winds and flooding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced.

The FEMA grant, totaling $1,127,286, is obligated to the parish to help defray the cost of removing and disposing of hazardous trees as well as vegetative and other debris from public rights of way, and private and public improved properties in the parish.

“FEMA places a high priority on getting debris cleaned up after a disaster,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Gerard M. Stolar. “This federal assistance will contribute significantly to St. Tammany’s recovery efforts.”

The FEMA grant covers the federal share of the parish’s eligible costs for the work. Under a cost-sharing formula, FEMA reimburses the state for 75 percent of the total costs, while the state and/or applicant pays the remaining 25 percent.

The newly obligated funds are a portion of the more than $144.1 million in total Public Assistance recovery dollars approved for the state since the Aug. 29 declaration for Hurricane Isaac.

Once FEMA reimburses the state of Louisiana it is the state’s responsibility to manage the funds, which includes making disbursements to local jurisdictions and organizations that incurred costs.

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, click www.fema.gov/disaster/4080 or www.gohsep.la.gov. You can follow FEMA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMA. Also visit our blog at www.fema.gov/blog.

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FEMA Obligates $1.1 Million to St. Tammany Parish for Debris Removal

Fairfield Disaster Recovery Center to Transition to SBA Loan Outreach Center

WINDSOR, Conn. — The FEMA-state Disaster Recovery Center in Fairfield closes Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m., but FEMA will still be available to help residents recover from Sandy.

The FEMA helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-621-3362, to register for assistance, ask questions about an application or update contact information so FEMA knows how to reach you. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

When FEMA’s Fairfield center closes, the U.S. Small Business Administration will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center in the same location at the Senior Center, 100 Mona Terrace, Fairfield, CT 06824, on Thursday, Dec. 20.

Fairfield Disaster Loan Outreach Center hours of operation will be:

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (starting Dec. 20)

Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

Registering for disaster assistance with other agencies or organizations does not register survivors for FEMA disaster assistance. Having FEMA flood insurance does not register policyholders for disaster assistance; flood insurance claims are handled separately.

If an applicant receives an application for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration, it is important this application be completed and returned. No survivor is required to take out an SBA loan, but completion of the SBA application may make the applicant eligible for further FEMA assistance.

Survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register anytime by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wait for the English message to finish to reach multilingual operators.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private, nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

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Fairfield Disaster Recovery Center to Transition to SBA Loan Outreach Center

Help For Businesses Facing Economic Losses Caused By Hurricane Sandy

TRENTON, N.J. — For businesses struggling with losses from evacuations, power outages, damaged inventory and general economic loss caused by Hurricane Sandy, a variety of federal and state resources can help.

Small Business Administration

Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration provide working capital to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations. The loans help meet ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster.

These loans are intended to assist the business or nonprofit through the disaster recovery period. The money may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid if the disaster had not occurred. The loans are not intended to replace profits.

The loan amounts and terms are determined by the SBA.
The law authorizes a maximum term of 30 years.
Interest rates for loans for small businesses can be as low as 4 percent.
Interest rates for loans for eligible nonprofit organizations can be as low as 3 percent.
Businesses of all sizes are also eligible to apply for loans to cover their physical losses. The deadline for this type of loan is Dec. 31, 2012.

For additional information, call 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, email DisasterCustomerService@SBA.gov or visit SBA.gov. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA.

Farm Services Agency

The Farm Services Agency offers a number of loans and grants to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flood, other natural disasters or quarantine. The FSA maintains 10 programs covering crop losses, livestock losses and damaged farm property. See disaster.fsa.usda.gov for more information.

Disaster Unemployment Insurance

The State of New Jersey requested and was granted federal unemployment insurance funds for Hurricane Sandy survivors. Self-employed entrepreneurs may qualify for disaster-related unemployment benefits. Survivors must first file a regular unemployment insurance claim with the state at njuifile.net. When and if that claim is denied, a claim may be filed for disaster-related unemployment benefits which have a different funding source. Read these FAQs for details.

N.J. Economic Development Authority

The N.J. Economic Development Authority can provide disaster survivors with access to capital, including tax-exempt and taxable bond financing, loans, loan guarantees, and business and tax incentives. For more information, visit www.njeda.com.

N.J. Business Action Center (One-Stop Shop)

This “One-Stop Shop” serves as an information clearinghouse for Hurricane Sandy business recovery assistance. The storm call center number is 866-534-7789. Visit www.state.nj.us/njbusiness/ for further information.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Help For Businesses Facing Economic Losses Caused By Hurricane Sandy

For Sandy, a Huge Response from the New York Community

NEW YORK – The Met Council distributed 170,000 pounds of food and prepared 85,000 meals.

A rock climbing gym in Brooklyn became a staging ground for first responders.

Taxicabs in New York are displaying disaster assistance information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

All over New York, the whole community is responding to those who lost homes, cars, possessions and a sense of security after Hurricane Sandy swept over the region.

“New York is made up of neighborhoods,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Michael F. Byrne, a New Yorker himself. “Every neighborhood is distinctly different, with different traditions, dialects and sense of community.”

That sense of community, in this case, is greatly expanded. It involves FEMA, other federal, state and local agencies, the private sector, voluntary groups and faith-based organizations.

“FEMA is not the team,” Byrne said. “FEMA is part of a much larger team, one that represents every aspect of the community. Individuals, groups and government agencies all came together to respond and begin recovery. This disaster was so immense that it required a massive effort by thousands of people. Those people are still at work, and will be for a long time.”

Some examples of the team effort:

Russian-speaking storm survivors in Brighton Beach and Coney Island came to FEMA
Disaster recovery centers to seek assistance and wound up volunteering to stay and translate for other Russian-speaking survivors.
A woman lost her job and her basement apartment after the storm. She found another job as a caregiver and was sleeping on her client’s couch. She came to a recovery center and was able to get transitional housing and legal assistance with the help of the American Red Cross, FEMA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division is operating a hotline
(800-699-5636), coordinating with FEMA and the Legal Services Corporation to provide information and help to Sandy survivors.
Sandy survivors are being given priority for 2,500 vacant apartments by private landlords in New York City, under an agreement between property owners and government officials.
The Humane Society of the United States partnered with the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management, Nassau County SPCA, the North Shore Animal League and the Pet Safe Coalition to care for nearly 300 pets daily in an emergency shelter on Long Island.
More than 500 survivors with access and functional needs are being assisted by FEMA specialists. Some Disaster Recovery Centers are using iPads to help survivors with speech disability or hearing loss. The iPads have a Skype app that can provide video relay to help the survivor with the assistance process.
The private sector displayed FEMA disaster assistance information on large screens at Times Square, Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, movie theaters and taxicabs, increasing public awareness of disaster assistance information.

More than 500 voluntary organizations have participated in the effort, including NY Cares, NY Disaster Interfaith Services, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and Mennonite Disaster Services, among others.

Federal partners have involved FEMA, Small Business Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, Department of Homeland Security, General Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and Department of Justice, to name a few.

In many cases, it requires a coordinated effort by several organizations to deliver assistance to people in need.

After the storm, a Five Towns family lost their home to fire, caused by a candle when the power was out. They registered with FEMA and were staying in an aunt’s living room on the floor. The wife gave birth and, with three other children, the family needed a place to stay. The father found an apartment but had no money because he was out of work.

A FEMA Community Relations team directed the family to a distribution center, where they received blankets, cots, baby formula, food and water. The FEMA team contacted a faith-based organization and a community center, both of which provided rent money. The family found an apartment and was being processed for FEMA assistance.

To join the whole community effort, FEMA encourages volunteers and donors to work directly with our nonprofit partners to ensure that survivors’ needs are addressed in the most effective and efficient way. For online links to those organizations, visit:

www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-donate-and-volunteer

www.serve.gov

www.nycservice.org

www.newyorkcares.com

Storm survivors who need assistance can register with FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day seven days a week until further notice.

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

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For Sandy, a Huge Response from the New York Community

NYU Langone Medical Center Approved for $35.5 Million FEMA Grant

NEW YORK – New York University’s Langone Medical Center in Manhattan has been approved for two FEMA grants totaling $35.5 million to defray costs associated with Hurricane Sandy. These FEMA grants are in addition to an award of $114 million for the facility that was approved earlier in December for emergency repairs, patient evacuations and other disaster-related expenditures. This brings the total FEMA has awarded to the institution to $149.5 million.

The grants are for $9.2 million and nearly $25.9 million. The first represents 75 percent of the expected costs associated with removal and disposal of wastewater from seven of the center’s buildings along with cleanup of the fuel oil that leaked throughout the flooded area. It will additionally cover the cost of removing damaged equipment from the Smilow Research Center.

The second award covers 75 percent of the estimated outlays for relocating and replacing critical equipment like MRI and CAT scanners, setup of a temporary emergency room, rental of premises for classrooms and a kitchen, mobile data centers and relocating medical-research laboratories to newly leased facilities in the East River Science Park.

The funds are being provided under FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which defrays disaster costs incurred by certain nonprofit organizations. The NYU Medical Center is a private, nonsectarian, nonprofit healthcare and research entity at First Avenue and 34th Street.

Under FEMA’s authorizing legislation, known as the Stafford Act, private nonprofits can be eligible for federal disaster-relief funds if they provide critical services of a governmental nature.

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

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NYU Langone Medical Center Approved for $35.5 Million FEMA Grant

Don’t Wait for Insurance Settlement to Apply for an SBA Loan

NEW YORK – Survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance companies before applying for Small Business Administration disaster loan assistance. FEMA and the SBA encourage survivors of Hurricane Sandy in eligible New York counties to return their completed applications, even if they have not settled with their insurance company.

If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA will consider making a loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay their SBA loan.

“Your insurance policy may not cover all the replacement, repair and rebuilding costs – and the disaster loan is available to cover the difference. You don’t have to wait for an insurance settlement, though. If the insurance money covers damage that you’ve borrowed for, the overlap can be used to pay down the loan,” said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

Disaster home and business loans are available to repair or replace disaster-damaged property, including contents. Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes having difficulties meeting operating expenses because of the disaster.

Interest rates are as low as 1.688 percent for homeowners and renters, 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

“Our partnership with SBA is very important because they are a key step in recovery process,” said New York Federal Coordinating Officer Michael F. Byrne. “Survivors should make it a priority to return their application to SBA because even if they do not qualify for a loan, they may be eligible for other assistance.”

SBA customer service representatives are available to issue or accept low-interest disaster loan applications and answer questions at all New York State/FEMA disaster recovery centers and 19 SBA business recovery centers. To find the nearest disaster recovery center, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or, with a tablet or smartphone, go to m.fema.gov. You may also text “DRC” and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA). For example, if you lived in Staten Island, you would text: “DRC 10301.” If you use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362. To locate the nearest business recovery center, visit www.sba.gov or call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339.)

Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website at https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. More information is available by calling the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center toll-free number, 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339.) Assistance is also available by sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or by visiting www.sba.gov.

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

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Don’t Wait for Insurance Settlement to Apply for an SBA Loan

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