WASHINGTON – The federal government gave New York and New Jersey a financial boost in recovering from Hurricane Sandy today by agreeing to have Washington reimburse the full cost of emergency public transportation and power restoration to the region.
The money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will cover costs such repairing substations, power plants and power lines while also providing money for extra buses and driver overtime.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are pushing FEMA to fully reimburse the state and city for all costs associated with the storm. Under federal law, FEMA is required to pay 75 percent of certain damages but in the case of major disasters can provide as much as 90 percent or the full cost.
“This is a good first step on FEMA’s part and an indication that they know how serious the damage from the storm is,” Schumer said. “This was not a New York disaster or a New Jersey disaster or a Connecticut disaster but a national disaster.”