Sep 6, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Biden approves federal aid for New York, New Jersey after deadly flooding

Ivana Saric

Abandoned cars on a flooded freeway — Cars sit abandoned on the flooded Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx following a night of heavy wind and rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ida on Sept. 2. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

President Biden on Sunday approved disaster declarations for New York and New Jersey, directing federal aid to areas hit with deadly flooding last week as the remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through the region.

Why it matters: The move comes ahead of Biden's scheduled visit to the states on Tuesday to survey the destruction. The storm killed more than two dozen people in New Jersey and at least 13 in New York City, AP reports. Several others were killed in neighboring states.

The storm damaged over 1,200 homes and caused $50 million in damage to public infrastructure and property, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said, citing an initial assessment, per AP.

The big picture: The federal aid can go towards grants for temporary housing and home repairs, programs that help individuals and businesses recover from the disaster and loans to cover uninsured property losses, the White House said.

Aid is also available for the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Ida and hazard mitigation measures.
The counties designated for aid in New York include: Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, and Westchester.
The counties designated for aid in New Jersey include: Bergen, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic, and Somerset.

Go deeper: New York region's historic floods send deadly climate change lesson

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Biden approves federal aid for New York, New Jersey after deadly flooding

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