Maloney Grills Administration Officials over Disaster Recovery in the Hudson Valley

Washington, D.C. –  At a hearing over the progress of Hurricane Sandy recovery, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney grilled FEMA , the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) about excessive red tape holding up key disaster recovery projects like Forge Hill Road Bridge in New Windsor. Rep. Maloney demanded answers from the Federal Highway Administration about the unnecessary delays, and FHWA pledged to work closely with Rep. Maloney to move this project forward. You can view the full footage of Rep. Maloney’s questioning here.

“It’s time for results - red tape and bureaucracy have held up critical recovery projects in the Hudson Valley like Forge Hill Road bridge, and there’s no good excuse when folks have been waiting over two years for construction to start,” said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney.  

Talking with Lieutenant General Thomas Bostick, the senior military officer overseeing civil works infrastructure and military construction projects like Joint Task Force Empire, Rep. Maloney said, “If the 411th Engineer Brigade of the Joint Task Force Empire can quickly build bridges all over Afghanistan in a combat environment, we should be able to get a bridge built in America in less than two years.”

Rep. Maloney continued to urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to include Hudson River communities in the $20 million comprehensive study of flood-prone coastal populations that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The Army Corps study, which is still in the draft stages, aims to protect vulnerable communities from future flooding by developing disaster mitigation strategies. Rep. Maloney also received a commitment from FEMA Deputy Administrator Zimmerman to work together on FEMA relief solutions for farmers in the Black Dirt region.

“I’ve been working with over 40 communities and local leaders across the Hudson Valley to rebuild stronger communities, and I’ll continue to fight to ensure our small businesses, farmers and families know they’re not forgotten,” concluded Rep. Maloney.

Hudson Valley communities, individuals, and businesses have received more than $47 million in assistance from FEMA while recovering from Hurricane Sandy. More than $155 million in FEMA assistance has been brought to our Hudson Valley to help them recover and rebuild from Sandy, Irene and Lee including $69.6 million to Orange County and $64 million to Westchester County. Many of the funds were made available by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, a bipartisan bill passed by Congress in January that provided $60 billion for response and recovery to aid communities in New York.