Monroe County, along with Cayuga County, has been added to the Lake Ontario Disaster Declaration by FEMA. The amendment to the declaration will allow Monroe County to receive Public Assistance Grant Funding for repairs from the Lake Ontario Flooding that occurred over the summer.
The original disaster declaration didn’t include Monroe County; Governor Andrew Cuomo appealed the decision, ultimately leading to FEMA adding Monroe and Cayuga Counties.
“This year, many communities experienced severe and repetitive flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario due to historically high water levels and New York has been fighting all year to ensure the federal government provide appropriate support to help counties get back on their feet,” Cuomo said in a statement. “With this amendment, Monroe and Cayuga Counties will not only be able to make critical repairs to facilities and infrastructure, but improve their resiliency as well.”
County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo expressed her gratitude at the decision. “I am grateful that FEMA today included Monroe County in a Disaster Declaration that will help local governments receive fair funding for costs incurred as a result of significant flooding along Lake Ontario last year,” Dinolfo said in a released statement. “Monroe County worked diligently with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure that our community was ultimately included in this vital declaration and today’s approval is welcome news.”
The grant assistance is for local governments and some non-profit organizations, to reimburse costs incurred for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities. This funding is available on a cost-sharing basis; FEMA generally covers 75 percent of the eligible costs for permanent and emergency work.