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Officials look for federal disaster designation to help with shoreline flood damage

Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo has sent a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo formally requesting that he ask President Trump for a ‘federal declaration of a major disaster’ following the severe Spring flooding along the Lake Ontario shoreline.

In response, Cuomo's office released to WXXI News on Saturday a letter the governor sent last week to the administrator of FEMA, where Cuomo wrote that he is "..requesting an expedited major disaster declaration for the State of New York as a result of record water levels in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River that began flooding shoreline communities on May 2, 2017." (see the complete letter below:)

Cuomo requested federal help for several counties including Monroe, Wayne and Orleans.

Dinolfo says if a major disaster is designated, FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of engineers could provide additional support to help residents whose property was damaged.

The state has already provided $45 million in aid to help with property damage and Cuomo has asked federal officials for a disaster declaration. But to get that designation, specific levels of damage in terms of cost will have to be met.

Copy of letter Gov. Cuomo sent to FEMA last week:

Governor Cuomo Letter to FEMA 7.6.17 by WXXI News on Scribd

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.