Superstorm Sandy

Interior Dept. Releases $475m In Sandy Aid

Jaired Crofut — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:29:14 +0000

Interior Department is releasing more than $475 million to help repair the damage from Superstorm Sandy, which roared up the East Coast last fall.

The department said the money will go for 234 projects that will repair and rebuild parks, refuges and other agency facilities damaged by the storm. Money will also go to historic preservation efforts and to investments in scientific data and studies to support recovery efforts.

Study: Superstorm Sandy Dumped Billions of Gallons of Sewage into Waterways

Lucas Willard — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:29:26 +0000

Superstorm Sandy released 11 billion gallons of sewage from East Coast treatment plants into bodies of water from Washington, D.C., to Connecticut.

That's according to a study by the nonprofit science journalism group Climate Central. It says that's equivalent to having Central Park covered 41 feet high with sewage.

Most of the overflow was due to storm-surge flooding that inundated sewage treatment facilities.

The sewage spilled into surrounding waters and even some city streets, most of it in New York City and northern New Jersey.

Federal Housing Agency Says Westchester May Not Administer Sandy Funds

Allison Dunne — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:38:42 +0000

A federal appeals court has ruled that the Westchester County executive has not complied with a fair housing agreement from 2009. Now, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says the county may not receive Superstorm Sandy disaster-relief money directly.

FEMA Awards Two Hudson Valley Towns Sandy Cleanup Money

Allison Dunne — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:35:00 +0000

Two Hudson Valley towns are on the receiving end of a combined $3.6 million in federal funds. The money is to reimburse the cost of cleaning up after Superstorm Sandy.

NY Governor Submits Plan for Federal Sandy Aid

Allison Dunne — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:07:08 +0000

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has a plan to allocate $1.7 billion in federal aid for disaster-recovery programs. The aid is intended for New Yorkers devastated by Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee.

Some Area House Dems Say Sequester Cuts Slice Into Sandy Aid

Allison Dunne — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:02:27 +0000

President Obama signed an emergency measure at the end of January for $50.5 billion in aid for Superstorm Sandy. The federal aid for heavily-impacted Sandy communities is one of the many areas being affected by sequestration – the across-the-board federal budget cuts that began March 1.

The estimates of how much aid will be cut by sequestration range from $1 billion- to $2.5 billion dollars, and those concerned say the cuts will reduce funds to help recovery efforts in the areas of housing and transportation, as well as mitigation efforts.

NYS Assembly Hearing Focuses on Sandy Insurance Claims

Allison Dunne — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:08:10 +0000

A hearing began earlier today in New York City to examine how insurance claims were settled during Superstorm Sandy, and how they should be handled during future disasters.

Democratic Assemblymember Kevin Cahill, of Kingston, chairs the Assembly’s Insurance Committee.

Ellen Melchionni is the president of the New York Insurance Association, and is testifying at the hearing. She says her association has drawn up a disaster preparedness agenda, a list of suggestions for policymakers to improve the insurance-claims process. Here is one of the items.

Report: Hurricane Sandy Second-Costliest in U.S. History

Lucas Willard — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 01:00:00 +0000

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The National Hurricane Center says Superstorm Sandy was the deadliest hurricane to hit the northeastern U.S. in 40 years and the second-costliest in the nation's history.

The center released a report Tuesday that attributes 72 deaths in the U.S. directly to Sandy, from Maryland to New Hampshire. That's more than any hurricane to hit the northeastern U.S. since Hurricane Agnes killed 122 people in 1972.

Hudson River floods more with higher sea levels

Associated Press — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 18:34:44 +0000

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Rising sea levels could threaten the towns far from the shore — those along the Hudson River.

Since Superstorm Sandy sent a storm surge up the Hudson, local officials and advocates have focused more intently on identifying vulnerable places along the Hudson River.

NYC Offers Help for Mold After Sandy

Allison Dunne — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 06:46:12 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City is launching a $15 million program to clean up at least 2,000 homes contaminated with mold because of flooding during Superstorm Sandy. Storm victims enrolled in the program will be able to get their homes scrubbed of mold for free by private contractors. Money for the project is being put up by three charities: The American Red Cross, the Robin Hood Foundation and the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City. No federal, state or city tax dollars are involved. The work is being overseen by a nonprofit development company. Mold has become a problem in flood-ravaged parts of the city, and the cost of properly removing the stuff can be substantial. And unlike other types of damage, the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not cover mold remediation.