Trump disaster declaration to aid pier, but not breakwall or individuals

Dec. 20--WASHINGTON -- Taxpayers in Erie and Chautauqua counties won a break Friday when the Trump administration announced, in essence, that the federal government will pick up part of the tab for fixing some of what this year's wicked Halloween storms broke.

But Trump's federal disaster declaration for Erie, Chautauqua and 16 other New York counties won't cover all the storm damage.

Trump's disaster declaration means the federal government will share repair costs for state or local infrastructure damaged in the storms. That means the City of Buffalo will likely get help repairing the Bird Island Pier, and that other municipal facilities across the two counties will be eligible for federal aid, too.

But under federal law, federal emergency funds can't be used to fix damaged federal facilities. So the heavily damaged breakwall that aims to protect downtown Buffalo from flooding, which is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers, won't get any money under Trump's disaster declaration. Neither will individual property owners, who can only get aid under a separate federal program.

Despite those limitations, local officials were ecstatic that Trump signed the disaster declaration.

"This is very important," Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said on Twitter. "Our Lake Erie breakwall and other water resiliency structures suffered significant damage in the storm. I thank the president for signing the disaster declaration."

That breakwall and the Bird Island Pier suffered between $10 million and $17 million in damages during those storms, but the disaster declaration won't come close to paying for all of the damages to those facilities.

Federal money from the disaster declaration should be eligible to help with repairs to the Bird Island Pier. That's because the pier's sidewalks and railings are owned and maintained by the City of Buffalo.

The office of Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, said that other locally owned public facilities that were damaged in the storm -- such as the Erie Basin Marina -- also will be eligible for federal matching repair funds.

The breakwall, which aims to protect LaSalle Park as well as parts of downtown Buffalo, is another matter. Because that is a federal facility, the Army Corps' Buffalo District will have to seek funding for repairs from the agency's headquarters, from its operations and maintenance budget.

Higgins said he will support the local Army Corps in its quest for funds, just as he pushed for the federal disaster declaration. He described that declaration as a necessary first step for communities that suffered storm damage.

"This welcome relief for municipal governments will reduce the burden on local taxpayers for storm recovery efforts," Higgins said. "While individual property owners are still not recovered from this devastation, we will continue to advocate that the administration make available whatever assistance is available under the law, including low-interest loans through the Small Business Administration."

Damage from the storms spread far beyond Buffalo.

"We had significant wind damage in Amherst and associated recovery costs," Brian Kulpa, the Amherst town supervisor, tweeted.

The City of Dunkirk and other parts of northern Chautauqua County also sustained major damage, which is why Rep. Tom Reed, a Corning Republican who represents the county, lobbied for the disaster declaration.

"This is a big win for our district and our state," Reed said of Trump's move. "Getting this funding to the areas in need will allow repairs to be made and rebuilding to start."

Statewide, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has already validated more than $33 million in damages and public response costs from the storm, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office said.

Cuomo stressed that the federal government has not yet acted on the state's request that New Yorkers in the affected counties be eligible for federal aid, too, under FEMA's Individual Assistance Program.

"The federal government has validated our experts' assessments on the damage this storm caused to public infrastructure, but it is only the first step in getting the assistance we need to help these communities build back," Cuomo said. "I was on the ground the morning after the storm and witnessed firsthand the severe damage sustained by hundreds of homes, and the federal government must now do its part to ensure these families immediately get the funds they need to repair and rebuild their lives."

Other New York counties eligible for federal infrastructure aid under the disaster declaration are Chenango, Cortland, Essex, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Oswego, Otsego, Saratoga, Tioga and Warren.

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, both New York Democrats, pushed for the federal disaster declaration.

"This Halloween, our state, from one corner to the other, saw severe damage after being ravaged by heavy rain, flooding and tempestuous winds," Schumer said. "This federal aid is absolutely critical to allow these upstate communities to recover and rebuild -- and will ease the burden on New York taxpayers."

Schumer called on the Trump administration to expand the emergency declaration so that individuals affected by the storm can get federal aid, too, and Gillibrand agreed.

"While this is a positive first step, it is past time for New Yorkers to get the help they need to recover, and the Trump administration must not drag its feet in providing critical aid to individual households as well," Gillibrand said. "With the estimated damage costs of these storms reaching tens of millions of dollars, our communities can't afford to wait any longer."

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