Projects in Schenectady and Schoharie counties are in the running for federal grants to help rebuild after recent natural disasters, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday.
The City of Schenectady Wastewater Treatment Plant will get more than $1 million to repair flood damage following Hurricane Irene. Also, Schoharie County will receive $3.8 million to rebuild communities after Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011.
“As extreme weather becomes increasingly routine, we must not only rebuild New York but build it back stronger and better able to protect the safety of our citizens,” Cuomo said in a statement. “This vital program enables communities to think creatively about preparing for future storms, bolstering infrastructure and helping to revive local economies in the process.”
The city of Amsterdam in Montgomery County will also receive $148,000 and the village of Waterford in Saratoga County will get $500,000 to prevent potential damage from future natural disasters.
A total of 10 projects statewide are set to receive about $128 million through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The projects are among the first to be considered for funding, but still require federal action.
Schenectady’s Wastewater Treatment Plant was nearly flooded during Hurricane Irene in August 2011. Damage to the plant would affect the public water supply in the towns of Cohoes, Colonie, Latham and Niskayuna. The project proposed for the facility would design and install a 14-foot-high beam to prevent future flooding.
Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee hit Schoharie County three years ago, leaving the village’s county office building, historical landmarks and other buildings heavily damaged. A grant for $3.8 million would aim to improve Spring Brook’s drainage system to protect the area from future storms.
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