Gov. Malloy: Super Storm Sandy Aid Tops $367 Million

Press Release

Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that more than $367 million in federal assistance to date has been approved to help Connecticut with disaster expenses following the aftermath Super Storm Sandy.

"As the recovery process continues, these funds have helped many homeowners and businesses get back on their feet," Governor Malloy said. "I would like to thank President Obama and his administration for their continued support of Connecticut's recovery from Super Storm Sandy."

To date, more than $280 million in federal disaster assistance has been approved to help individuals, businesses and municipalities:

12,452 Connecticut residents registered for federal disaster assistance during the application period which ended February 12;
Over $12.6 million has been approved for housing assistance, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs;
More than $1.02 million has been approved to cover other essential disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions;
$42.8 million in low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, businesses and private nonprofit organizations has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration;
$22,196 in Disaster Unemployment Assistance has been approved;
More than $7.04 million in Public Assistance grants has been obligated to municipalities statewide for Sandy-related expenses;
5,902 flood insurance claims totaling $220,124,212 have been paid to date, representing more than 96 percent of total National Flood Insurance Program claims in the state of Connecticut following Hurricane Sandy.

In addition, the State of Connecticut also received additional federal funds resulting from the storm to be directed towards various other items. These include:

-$71 million for rebuilding efforts through the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program;

-$10.5 million for human service programs through the Social Services Block Grant program at the Agency for Children and Families;

-Over $2.8 million from the Federal Transit Administration to offset the costs of preparation and response efforts before and during the storm;

-$1.8 million for the Department of Labor as part of a National Emergency Grant to assist with cleanup and recovery efforts;

-Approximately $1.3 million from the Federal Highway Administration for repairs to damaged roads and bridges; and

-$250,000 for education-related services for local education agencies.

Last month, Governor Malloy released a draft plan for public comment that outlines the proposed distribution of more than $71 million in supplemental funding allocated to the state as a result of the storm. The Governor said that the plan was designed to help communities most impacted by the storm rebuild, and also done in a way that makes them more resilient to future storms. The plan will next be considered by the Connecticut General Assembly on May 7.

"While the damage we suffered from Storm Sandy was bad, we know that it could have been far, far worse," Governor Malloy said. "One needs only to look to our neighbors in New York and New Jersey to see how much worse it could have been. This first allocation will help our rebuilding efforts, but the real goal is receiving funding that will help us to mitigate damage from future storms. Working in conjunction with our state's Congressional delegation, we will get our fair share from Washington so that our state is better prepared the next time we face a "once-in-a-century' storm."

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