Albany, NY - May 3, 2018 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that $7 million in federal funding is available for hazard mitigation and resiliency projects through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. This program assists local governments and non-profit organizations as they rebuild communities across the state that have been impacted by recent natural disasters. These efforts are aimed at increasing the State's resiliency, reducing hardship, and mitigating the risk of loss and damage associated with future disasters.
"With extreme weather the new reality, it is critical that we build our communities stronger and smarter to withstand these more frequent and powerful storms," Governor Cuomo said. "This funding will help strengthen and secure our infrastructure, facilities, and public buildings so that even when weather is at its worst, we will have more prepared and resilient communities."
Preference will be given to proposals that are in the counties declared for the severe winter storm and snowstorm of March 2017, flooding from high water levels on Lake Ontario, or in the fifteen counties that experienced severe localized flooding in late June and July 2017, where the Governor requested a federal major disaster declaration on August 31, 2017.
These counties include: Albany, Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster Warren, Washington, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.
Preference will also be given to projects that:
- Realize permanent flood mitigation solutions (e.g., removing homes from a floodplain), and/or significantly reduce a property's risk from flooding, or alternatives that provide benefits like property acquisition and elevation projects);
- Provide a comprehensive approach to floodplain management by addressing flooding at the neighborhood or street level instead of developing isolated or patchwork solutions;
- Support mitigation at critical facilities before non-critical facilities, Severe/Repetitive Loss and substantial-damage properties before others, National Flood Insurance Program-insured properties before uninsured properties, primary residences before secondary homes, residences before income-producing properties; properties in the 100-year floodplain before others; projects that mitigate the largest number of NFIP-insured properties; and
- Achieve or reinforce a community's long-range resiliency goals as identified in plans assisted by the NYS Departments of State and Environmental Conservation, the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery, the NYS Open Space Conservation Plan, and other local and regional plans and objectives.
"Federal assistance to rebuild communities after a disaster is vital to build back stronger and smarter," said Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Roger Parrino, Sr. "I am grateful for the partnership with FEMA and look forward to working with our federal and local partners."
After a Presidential disaster declaration, FEMA provides Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds for states to administer grant programs that support local hazard mitigation planning and long-term hazard mitigation measures to reduce the loss of life and damage to improved property from natural disasters.
Through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, New York State will help to fund innovative mitigation measures that protect communities, while at the same time stimulating local economic growth and serving other objectives. Local officials and non-profit organizations are encouraged to develop such proposals in the form of a Letter of Intent. Letters of Intent can be found at www.dhses.ny.gov/recovery/.
FEMA funds provide 75% reimbursement of eligible costs, up to the amount of the award. In-kind services or materials may be used toward the 25% non-federal match. While most federal funds cannot be used for the non-federal match, there are exceptions and the State may provide matching funds in certain circumstances for eligible projects.
Application instructions can be found here.
All applications must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. on June 1, 2018.
About Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provides leadership, coordination and support for efforts to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorism and other man-made and natural disasters, threats, fires and other emergencies. For more information, visit the DHSES Facebook page, follow @NYSDHSES on Twitter and Instagram, or visit dhses.ny.gov.