FEMA Extends Help to Four More NY Counties

Workers from FEMA go door to door in the Midland Beach area on Staten Island, New York City, Nov. 13 . The agency has set up disaster recovery centers in the area to aid people affected by superstorm Sandy. (John Moore/Getty Images)

NEW YORK—Four additional New York counties are now eligible for FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday. 

The newly admitted counties include Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and Ulster County. 

“It has been two weeks since Sandy struck New York state, and we continue to see long-ranging, catastrophic effects of this storm across the lower Hudson Valley,” Cuomo said. “I thank President Obama and FEMA for expanding federal assistance for these four counties.”

Thirteen counties are currently eligible for individual and public assistance from FEMA, including Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Queens, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester County. 

All 13 counties are eligible for federal reimbursement for emergency actions taken during and immediately after a disaster. The government will reimburse the costs of removing debris, restoring infrastructure, public buildings and equipment, public utilities, and parks and recreation damage caused by the disaster.

FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides grants to state, tribal, local governments, and some private nonprofit organizations to help repair and restore damaged infrastructure in communities devastated by disasters.