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NYS Senate bill calls for $55 million dollars in grants to help with flood damage

Last year's floods affected shoreline homes, including residences along Edgemere Drive in Greece.
Veronica Volk/Great Lakes Today
/
WXXI News
Last year's floods affected shoreline homes, including residences along Edgemere Drive in Greece.

NYS Senate Republicans have announced the introduction of a bill creating a new Great Lakes Flood Recovery Grant Program to help those impacted by the lake flooding this Spring.

The measure makes $55 million in grants available to property owners, businesses, farms, not-for-profit corporations, municipalities, and counties affected by high water levels in Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Champlain, and the St. Lawrence River.

The grant program would provide up to $20 million administered through the state’s Empire State Development Corporation to help with physical flood-related damage.

Grant recipients could receive up to $15,500 for owners of residences, $30,000 for owners of multiple dwellings, $50,000 for small businesses and farms, and $100,000 for not-for-profit corporations for damage not covered under insurance or an existing local, state, or federal program.

Municipalities and special districts would be eligible for a total of $20 million in grants - up to $1 million each - for infrastructure spending caused by the flooding and high water levels and not already covered under existing funding programs.

For other municipal costs that may not be eligible for that funding, an additional $10 million in grants would be made available by the state.

Counties would be eligible for a total of $5 million in new grants for flood mitigation or flood control projects costing at least $250,000, up to $500,000, and related to the recent Great Lakes water levels.
 

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.