Senators Schumer and Gillibrand are urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency to quickly approve any request from New York State for a major disaster declaration for the counties hit hard by last week's heavy rains and floods. Up to nine inches of rain fell in some areas over the span of a few hours last Tuesday.
Communities in the Finger Lakes and the Southern Tier are continuing to recover. The senators want FEMA to be ready to participate in a Preliminary Damage Assessment with state and local officials, should the state request it.