Hinchey Makes Direct Appeal To FEMA For Individual Disaster Assistance To Help November Flood Victims

Hinchey Makes Direct Appeal To FEMA For Individual Disaster Assistance To Help November Flood Victims

One day after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a federal disaster declaration for eight upstate New York counties that experienced severe flood damage from heavy rainfall on November 16 and 17, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today made a direct appeal for the agency to immediately provide individual disaster assistance to local residents and help pave the way for aid to business owners. Under FEMA's announcement yesterday, municipalities and county government in Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Hamilton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Otsego and Tioga are eligible for federal assistance. While FEMA did not make assistance available to individuals and business owners affected by the flood, the agency said such aid could be made available at a later time.

"I greatly appreciate the announcement that public assistance will be made available to municipalities in these stricken counties, but I cannot overemphasize the need for a more comprehensive response to the flooding that occurred in this region due to a record-setting rainfall on November 16 and 17," Hinchey wrote in a letter today to FEMA Director/Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management. "With its announcement yesterday, FEMA left the door open for a possible future announcement of individual disaster assistance. I respectfully urge you to make such assistance available immediately. I am sure you are aware that many residents in this region are still recovering from the massive flooding that occurred in late June. I have heard from many of my constituents who are nearly overwhelmed by the losses visited upon them by that flood as well as the most recent disaster. These residents and businesses are simply in no position to absorb the burdens associated with this new challenge. I believe that the facts speak clearly to the need for additional federal assistance."

On November 17, Hinchey formally called on New York Governor George Pataki to request that President Bush issue a Major Disaster Declaration from President Bush, which would clear the way for emergency federal funding. Pataki wrote Bush one week later. After some delay, FEMA finally announced aid for communities yesterday, but held off on issuing individual assistance. Once FEMA offers individual assistance, the Small Business Administration would begin to offer aid to local small businesses.

The full text of Hinchey's letter to Paulison follows:

December 13, 2006
R. David Paulison
Director / Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20472

Dear Director Paulison:

I am writing to strongly request that the Federal Disaster Declaration, made yesterday for eight counties in upstate New York, be expanded to include individual disaster assistance for residents who have experienced property loss. I greatly appreciate the announcement that public assistance will be made available to municipalities in these stricken counties, but I cannot overemphasize the need for a more comprehensive response to the flooding that occurred in this region due to a record-setting rainfall on November 16 and 17. With its announcement yesterday, FEMA left the door open for a possible future announcement of individual disaster assistance. I respectfully urge you to make such assistance available immediately.

I am sure you are aware that many residents in this region are still recovering from the massive flooding that occurred in late June. I have heard from many of my constituents who are nearly overwhelmed by the losses visited upon them by that flood as well as the most recent disaster. These residents and businesses are simply in no position to absorb the burdens associated with this new challenge. I believe that the facts speak clearly to the need for additional federal assistance. As your inspectors surely know, private property losses in Broome County alone are in the multi-million dollar range -- with more than 600 homes damaged and dozens of homes destroyed.

Again, I ask that you give full consideration to all of the evidence that clearly demonstrates the need to make individual disaster assistance available to people in these eight counties. I thank you in advance for your commitment to these communities as they struggle to deal with this grave situation.

Best regards.

Sincerely,

Maurice D. Hinchey

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