WEST POINT – US Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand joined Congressman Pat Ryan, a West Point graduate, and Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus on a helicopter tour of the storm damage at West Point and the surrounding area Monday, including Highland Falls.
After the flyover, Schumer said the damage at West Point alone is in excess of $100 million after a review by the Army Corps of Engineers.
“We all know that for two centuries West Point has stood in the Hudson Valley as an essential pillar to our nation’s military excellence and we cannot allow its buildings, infrastructure and training grounds to sit destroyed in the wake of this and we are going to make sure it happens,” he said. “The historic campus is a symbol of our country’s proud military history. Right now the America’s Army’s home needs our help and we are going to do whatever we can to get that done.”
FEMA officials are expected to be on the ground in Orange County to begin their damage assessments caused by, and costs related to the disaster. Once these assessments are complete, FEMA validates whether the state and impacted counties have reached the required federal damage thresholds for a federal Major Disaster Declaration.
According to Schumer, Governor Hochul has requested a federal “Major Disaster Declaration” from President Biden to support the ongoing recovery of communities impacted by devastating flooding stemming from the recent rainstorms, which spanned across much of Upstate New York. If granted, this declaration would release critical federal financial assistance that will support recovery and reconstruction efforts in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester counties. Hochul is also requesting federal support for homeowners in Orange County as well as an expedited damage assessment process.
A federal Major Disaster Declaration secures financial assistance from the federal government, primarily through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, to provide funding to local governments, tribes, and eligible non-profits for debris removal, protective measures, and repairs to buildings and infrastructure, including roads, bridges, water and wastewater treatment facilities, critical infrastructure sites, schools, parks and other facilities.
