SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $22 MILLION IN FEMA FUNDS TO UPGRADE BRIDGES OVER FLOOD-PRONE WATERS IN ALBANY AND RENSSELAER COUNTIES
Cohoes & North Greenbush Will Use Funds to Upgrade Bridges and Make Them More Resilient to Flooding
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $22,780,000 in federal funds for two Capital Region municipalities to upgrade and enhance the resiliency of select bridges over flood-prone waters in order to protect them against threats from future, repeated flooding. Specifically, $21,280,000 in federal funding will be used for work in the City of Cohoes, located in Albany County, to upgrade the flood-prone bridge that carries NY State Route 32 over the Mohawk River. Additionally, $1,500,000 in federal funding will be used for work in the Town of North Greenbush, located in Rensselaer County, to upgrade the flood-prone bridge that carries NY State Route 150 over the Wynantskill Creek. These funds, which are being awarded as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to the New York State Department of Transportation to complete the work, will cover 100 percent of the cost for the projects.
“It is not enough to simply rebuild and repair after a significant flood; we must also prepare ourselves for the next storm and the next potential flood. That’s exactly what this federal funding will do, helping to lower the risk of flood damage in towns and villages throughout the Capital Region,” said Senator Schumer. “These much-needed federal funds will help Albany and Rensselaer Counties scour their flood-prone bridges and upgrade surrounding structures to be more resilient in the face of future storms. Spending a penny today on flood-prevention efforts could save the federal government and local homeowners a dollar tomorrow in repair costs. Investing in local infrastructure creates jobs in the short term and bolsters our economy in the long term by enabling us to move goods, people and tourists safely and efficiently.”
"This critical funding will provide resources to help strengthen our transportation infrastructure in the Capital Region,” said Senator Gillibrand. “These funds will help safeguard our bridges against flooding and allow for critical repairs to keep commuters and communities safe. We need more investment in our roads and bridges and I will continue to push for funding to help ensure we are better prepared for when the next storm hits.”
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding under Section 404 of the Stafford Act, the federal disaster law that supplies aid to states and localities to implement long-term resiliency measures after a major disaster. The purpose of these grants is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.
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