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NY lawmakers to hold hearing on Lake Ontario flooding

Veronica Volk
/
WXXI News/Great Lakes Today

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP & WXXI News) — New York State lawmakers are planning to hold a hearing on recent flooding along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

The NYS Senate announced the hearing on Monday. It will be held Oct. 10 in the community of Mexico in Oswego County.

The spring and summer floods damaged homes and businesses, eroded shoreline and hurt the area's tourism economy at a critical time.

Many upstate officials and lakefront property owners blame the flooding on the International Joint Commission, the U.S.-Canadian panel that controls the outflow of water from Lake Ontario. The commission says heavy rain was to blame.

Republican state Sen. Tom O'Mara says the hearing is intended to help residents and officials alike understand the factors that caused the flood, and ways officials can prevent future problems.

The statement from the NYS Senators notes that the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence Seaway Flood Relief and Recovery Grant Program, provides $45 million in funding to affected homeowners, small businesses, farms, not-for-profits and municipalities, and the deadline to submit an application is Friday, September 29

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