Irene and Lee

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced $60.7 million in grants have been approved by the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors to support drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across New York.

With the memory of the destruction of Hurricanes Irene and Lee still fresh five years later, government agencies are participating in a three-day drill to prepare for catastrophic flooding along the Mohawk River.

Major storms that once might have hit the coasts of New York and New Jersey every 500 years could soon happen every 25 years or so.  That's one of the findings of a study looking back over 1,000 years.

Responding to the “Rising to the Top” challenge issued by Governor Andrew Cuomo's office, Windham joins other New York communities striving to come up with ideas for long-term flood recovery following Irene, Lee and Sandy. Years after the three storms, people are still waiting for funds.

Grant money for the Greene County town of Windham was set aside by Governor Cuomo's office earlier this year, part of a $60 billion federal effort to assist areas hit hardest by Irene, Lee and Sandy.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer was at Troy's Hudson River waterfront this morning to call for $6.7 million in federal spending to reinforce the Collar City's seawall.  

Schumer is urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to swiftly approve $6.7 million in federal funds for much-needed repairs and improvements to the Troy seawall, which was severely damaged by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene three years ago.  “We’re gonna fight hard for it.”

Homeowners from Greene county down through the Catskills and Hudson Valley hit by flooding have two weeks left to apply for financial assistance from the state.

To date, the NY Rising Housing Recovery Program has paid more than $280 million to 6,388 homeowners for damages that resulted from Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, or Tropical Storm Lee. The program funds repair, mortgage assistance, flood mitigation and buyouts of damaged homes.

Officials say every eligible homeowner who applied by January 20th has been issued a check for home reconstruction.

New York has made significant progress in storm recovery efforts - Democratic Ulster County Executive Mike Hein says they're ready if and when there's a "next storm" on the horizon. Republican New York State Assemblyman Pete Lopez says many of his constituents are still reeling from the one-two punch of Irene and Lee - along with others in his district impacted by Sandy.

Climate change has claimed the Kaaterskill Creek as one of its victims. The deep impact from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee continue to affect the creek and nearby residents.

One year ago, New Yorkers were bracing for Superstorm Sandy - today, state government officials are gathered in Albany to compare notes on the response and brainstorm about plans to respond to future crises and calamities.

Many struggle to recover one year after Superstorm Sandy.  Republican New York State Assemblyman Pete Lopez says many of his constituents are still reeling from the one-two punch of Irene and Lee - along with others in his district impacted by Sandy.

Two years after Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee and almost one year after Superstorm Sandy altered New York’s land and seascapes, relief aid --- from both private donors and government agencies --- has been painfully slow in coming, as communities struggle to return to normal.

New York State has braved several recent storms, including Sandy, Irene and Lee. Central New Yorkers have had to contend with flooding along the Mohawk River, most recently at the end of June. Now, federal and state officials have opened the floodgates of funding, which will allow money to flow into the coffers of stricken communities.

Launched in Albany Thursday, the New York Rising Community Construction program’s goal is to empower localities to develop and implement recovery plans after the damage done by storms Sandy, Lee and Irene, and more recently, by the severe flooding in the Mohawk Valley caused by heavy rains in late June. 

New York City Department of Environmental Protection officials opened the Gilboa Dam site to government leaders, the media and the public Tuesday to get a firsthand look at reconstruction.