Senators Charles Schumer, D-NY, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, announced that Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) is awarding more than $1.2 million to the Town of North Hempstead for cleanup costs from Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011.
“The Town of North Hempstead was hit hard by Irene and streets were filled with debris, creating a major safety hazard,” Schumer said in a statement. “North Hempstead officials did an extraordinary job with their cleanup effort after Irene and this reimbursement will help fund a portion of the cost. Although this is a very good start, I will continue to make sure that North Hempstead and the entire Long Island region receives the rest of this critical funding.”
“The Town of North Hempstead experienced some of the very worst of Hurricane Irene,” Gillibrand said. “These reimbursements will help provide much needed relief to help North Hempstead residents rebuild and get back on their feet. I will continue to fight for funding that our Long Island communities deserve.”
The funding from FEMA, worth $1,276,722.60 to cover 75 percent of total project cost, will be used toward cleanup costs caused by downed and leaning hazardous trees, severed and broken hazardous limbs and other vegetative debris collected by the town. The storm caused ground saturation and high wind, and a massive amount of debris that covered town roads, rights of way, sidewalks, alleys, parks, schools and other town owned and maintained facilities.
