SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $800,000 IN FEMA FUNDING FOR THE TOWN OF RICHMONDVILLE IN SCHOHARIE COUNTY

Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced a total of $822,543.87 in FEMA funds for the Town of Richmondville, located in Schoharie County. Of these funds, $647,339.23 will be used by the town to make repairs to its business district, which was badly damaged during Hurricane Irene back in August of 2011. These funds were allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) program. The funds will be used to reimburse the town for the costs required to make repairs to its business district. Specifically, the culvert pipe that runs underneath the business district was damaged and needed to be repaired in order to minimize the impact on business properties in its vicinity. In addition to these PA funds, the town will receive $175,204.64 to be used for hazard mitigation. These funds will be used to make improvements to the culvert to diminish the impact of future floods.  

“It is not enough to simply rebuild and repair; we must also prepare ourselves for the next storm and the next potential flood. That’s exactly what this federal funding will do, helping to lower the risk of flood damage to the Town of Richmondville’s business district,” said Senator Schumer. “The Town of Richmondville in Schoharie County was hit particularly hard by the flooding from Hurricane Irene back in 2011 and has waited long enough for these much-needed funds, so taking steps to repair and make improvements the culvert pipe that serves the district at its most vulnerable point is a prudent use of federal dollars, as it will protect the local businesses in this area and first responders during future storms.”

“Damage from Hurricane Irene left many homes and businesses in Schoharie County in dire need of repair,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This is an important federal investment for the Town of Richmondville that will help support repairs and repair costs for its business district. We must be better prepared for future storms and ensure the sustainability our communities by investing resources geared towards mitigating future devastation.”

Through the public assistance program, FEMA provides reimbursement funding for eligible projects including those related to debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations. The PA Program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process. This reimbursement program is a cost share program, with the Federal government covering at least 75 percent of eligible costs.

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