Westchester County will receive more than $2.4 million in federal aid for Sandy relief, according to a recent press release. Congresswoman Nita Lowey, a Democrat, announced the availability of federal funds to reimburse the county for 90 percent of its  emergency spending during and after the storm.
The Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities, which protected the Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant from flooding and losing power when Superstorm Sandy hit, will receive federal funds through the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act. Lowey, a member of the House appropriations committee, helped pass this bill in January. She said the reimbursements will alleviate the burden on taxpayers who are still recovering their homes, businesses and health.
“The Yonkers Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant took a direct hit, and Westchester County went to extreme and costly lengths to keep the plant up and running to protect residents”™ health,” Lowey said. “This badly-needed aid will help ease the financial burden of the county”™s Sandy response and limit the impact to taxpayers.”
Lowey announced earlier this month that Westchester and Rockland Counties have received more than $35 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency public assistance grants since Superstorm Sandy happened last year.
The Westchester  County Department of Environmental Facilities took active steps to operate temporary generators to prevent the plant from malfunctioning, drained flooded areas, rewired and installed bypass systems, and transported sludge to new locations to keep the sewage and hazardous waste from building up.
