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U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-Amsterdam) today praised President Obama and New York Governor David Paterson after the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster funds will be made available to nine counties devastated by the ice storm on December 11th of last year. The major disaster declaration makes federal aid available to state and local governments and certain private non-profit groups for work during the storm as well as for recovery and repair in the weeks following. There will also be funds for all counties statewide to mitigate hazards for future storms. The decision reverses the denial of the original disaster application by the Bush Administration.
 
"I want to thank the President, but also Governor Paterson and New York State for pushing hard to make sure that this funding was made available," said Congressman Tonko. "We heard from communities during and after the storm that they needed help paying for the enormous costs of assisting residents and cleaning up, and I'm pleased that we were able to reverse the Bush Administration's denial of funding. This is a great example of cooperation between local, state and federal government."
 
Back in January, Congressman Tonko joined Senator Chuck Schumer, then Senator Hillary Clinton, and Reps. Kirsten Gillibrand, Maurice Hinchey, Michael Arcuri and John Hall in writing FEMA to demand an explanation for the original denial of funding.
 
The December 11th ice storm snapped tree limbs and brought down power lines, leaving more than 230,000 people without power, some for up to six days. The nine counties eligible for the disaster funds are Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Saratoga, Washington, Columbia, Greene, and Delaware. 
                                                                    

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