SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, ISRAEL, ZELDIN, MEEKS, RICE & KING ANNOUNCE OVER $21 MILLION IN FEDERAL SANDY FUNDING FOR REPAIRS TO LONG ISLAND POWER AUTHORITY
Funding for Sandy-Related Repairs Towards Emergency and Protective Repairs To Utility Distribution System
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and Representatives Steve Israel (NY-3), Lee Zeldin (NY-1), Gregory Meeks (NY-5), Kathleen Rice (NY-4) and Peter King (NY-2) today announced that the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) will receive $21,188,947.15 in federal funding for emergency work and additional protective work done as a result of Superstorm Sandy. The award will be made in two separate grants. The first grant provides $19,906,417.70 for emergency repairs to LIPA’s statewide utility distribution system for work performed before October 30, 2012 and after, November 14, 2012. The second grant includes emergency protective work to prevent further damage to its statewide substations that was damaged as a direct result of Superstorm Sandy.
“This massive federal investment will help ensure Long Island is built back better and stronger after Sandy, and both lightens the load for Long Island taxpayers and keeps the lights on,” said Senator Schumer. “This federal Sandy-relief funding will be given to LIPA to help repair damaged infrastructure and move forward with mitigation efforts to protect from future damage.”
“This critical FEMA funding will help provide much needed resources to facilitate repairs to the energy infrastructure that Long Islanders rely on for their electricity,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Superstorm Sandy devastated our communities and these funds will help rebuild our infrastructure even stronger and more resilient so we can be prepared when the next storm hits.”
"Repairing and strengthening LIPA's infrastructure is critical to Long Islanders and our regional economy,” said Representative Israel. “We need to be better protected in the event of future severe storms. This federal investment in LIPA helped make emergency repairs after Superstorm Sandy, and will make sure we continue to rebuild stronger and safer energy infrastructure Long Islanders can count on.”
“These grants are key to providing the necessary funding to restore and protect our energy infrastructure, ensuring that we as a community are prepared for the future,” said Representative Zeldin. “I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in Congress in a bipartisan effort to secure the resources necessary to protect key critical energy infrastructure on Long Island.”
“Restoring our communities after the destruction of Super Strom Sandy has been, and remains my highest priority,” said Representative Meeks. “These much needed resources will help LIPA repair damage caused by Sandy and improve our resiliency in order to prevent future power outages like the ones we experienced during Super Storm Sandy.”
“Superstorm Sandy left hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders without power and showed us that our energy infrastructure is severely vulnerable to extreme weather,” said Representative Rice. “This funding will support urgently needed repairs and ensure that our critical infrastructure is more resilient and better prepared to withstand future storms.”
“These funds are another important step in Long Island’s Superstorm Sandy recovery and will be critical to bolster our resiliency against future storms,” said Representative King.
The funding, provided under authority of Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Act, covers expenses incurred for labor, equipment, materials, administrative costs, contract performed services, and other costs necessary for undertaking the project.
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