What eliminating FEMA means for LI
Waves crash along the shore of Patchogue as Tropical Storm Isaias moves across Long Island on Aug. 4, 2020. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
President Donald Trump wants to revamp the Federal Emergency Management Agency or possibly get rid of it as he recently suggested.
For flood-prone Long Island, the stakes are high.
Since FEMA’s inception in 1979, Long Island has received an estimated $6.36 billion from the disaster relief agency, The Point’s analysis of FEMA data shows, through flood insurance claims, individual and public housing assistance programs, and funds for infrastructure projects intended to mitigate the risks of future disasters. For context, Nassau County’s budget for 2025 is $4.2 billion.
The FEMA funding has helped with elevating homes by the coast, building seawalls, repairing Freeport’s sewer station, removing debris after storms, and repairing parks and recreational areas like Brookhaven Town’s Osborn Park and others over the years.
New York had the second-highest disaster assistance by state at $1,326 per capita, second to Louisiana, according to analysis from Rebuild by Design’s Atlas of Accountability, which measures federal disaster declarations and recovery funding.
Out of the 38 disasters declared in Nassau and Suffolk counties, at least 27 have been flood- or storm-related, with Superstorm Sandy standing out as one of the most costly incidents. The severe storms last August that were estimated to have caused up to $75 million in damage in Suffolk County alone were the most recent disaster to be declared on Long Island. It’s no surprise that the largest payouts the Island has received, or is obligated to receive, have been for storm-related events. Since 1978, Long Islanders have received $2.95 billion for building damage alone from claims from FEMA’s flood insurance program, or NFIP, and an additional $411.68 million for loss of personal belongings.
About $2.5 billion of that has been for claims relating to damage from Superstorm Sandy.
Long Island has received about $489.72 million through Individual Assistance programs that provide immediate lifeline assistance to individuals, including housing assistance and other needs. An estimated 42,230 homeowners on Long Island who are registered with FEMA have received a total of $362.59 million for repairs or replacement.
Nearly a quarter of the $2.18 billion allocated to New York State through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation program is estimated to have been granted to fund projects on Long Island that are intended to prevent damage from future disasters, such as improving water and sewer systems and utility infrastructure.
Nassau County has received $2.26 billion from NFIP claims alone and public assistance grant commitments for 2,193 projects worth $1.70 billion. Residents in Nassau have received an estimated $377.06 million through individual housing program funding while the county is expected to receive $178 million to fund hazard mitigation projects.
Suffolk has received $1.1 billion through NFIP claims, $284.1 million through public assistance grants, and an estimated $112.66 million through individual housing program funding. Overall, Suffolk is committed to receive $349.4 million for hazard mitigation projects.
