U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today demanded FEMA immediately reverse its decision to cancel federal funding for the Sidney Culvert Project, critical for mitigating flooding in the Village of Sidney in Delaware County. Schumer said this previously awarded federal support is essential to Village and County efforts to protect its residents and build a more resilient future for the Southern Tier. Schumer said FEMA must reverse course and reconsider the county’s request to extend the funding.

“The families of Delaware County and the Village of Sidney know the dangers of flooding. I saw firsthand the damage of the devastating flooding in 2006 & 2011 and worked tirelessly with local leaders to deliver federal funding to rebuild and add flood protection measures to keep communities safe. To rip away funding meant to minimize the damage from tragic flooding that we know can happen again is foolish and dangerous. FEMA must immediately reverse this rash decision so that the Sidney Culvert Project can continue,” said Senator Schumer. “Delaware County is ready to move forward with implementation, and I am calling on FEMA to restore this grant and approve their appeal to give this community the safety and peace of mind it so deserves.”

The implementation of the Sidney Culvert Project aims to help save lives and reduce the damage and costs from flooding caused by extreme weather events. This project builds on previous mitigation efforts implemented by local leaders, including the buyout and demolition of properties, supported with funding Senator Schumer helped deliver.

In a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Schumer explained that continuing work on this project will enable Delaware County leaders to keep their residents safe and property protected from the devastation of flood water and impacts of extreme storm events.

In the event of flooding, the presence of culverts would provide a means for flood waters to recede quickly from the Village, reducing the severity and impact of property damage and safeguarding against the loss of life. The Sidney Culvert project received FEMA funding, but faced delays in implementation, including the fiscal limitations of the Village of Sidney to provide advance payment to begin fabrication while awaiting federal reimbursement.

The Delaware County Board of Supervisors approved its planning department to manage the grant on behalf of the Village of Sidney, but due to the need to reapply for key permits, a second extension was needed. The County submitted their request to FEMA for consideration earlier this year and in July, FEMA informed leaders it had denied its 18-month extension request, essentially shutting the project down.

Termination of this funding undercuts these efforts and puts the Village of Sidney in harm’s way. In his letter, Schumer explained that proactive investment in this project by FEMA will prevent costly outlays by federal, state, and local governments later if another natural disaster were to occur.

Village of Sidney Mayor Raymond Baker said, “It is very important for the Village of Sidney Residents and an honor that Senator Schumer realizes how important it is for the village residents that FEMA allows this extension to put in the culverts. Anything at all that we help alleviate flooding is very important to the village and hopefully will help give village residents some piece of mind.”

Delaware County Planning Director Shelly Johnson-Bennett said, “Delaware County greatly appreciates all of the support Senator Schumer has provided as we have worked with the Village of Sidney to mitigate the long term impacts of flooding. Millions of dollars in investment have been made from the local through the federal levels of government to get to this final phase of mitigation work. The culverts are essential to supporting resiliency in the Village and without them all of the work leading up to their installation will only provide limited protection in the community.”

Schumer has been a long-standing fighter for Delaware County’s efforts to combat flood damage and disaster. After the 2006 and 2011 storms, Schumer advocated for federal disaster declarations on behalf of flood impacted communities, including Delaware County, that would provide federal funding to enable places like Sidney and other communities within the county to recover and rebuild. As a result, local governments and thousands of property owners were able to apply for disaster assistance following these storms. In the aftermath of the 2006 flooding, Schumer successfully secured approval from FEMA to bring in temporary housing units for displaced residents, including those in Delaware County. In 2008, Schumer secured $300,000 in the Fiscal Year 2008 Appropriations Bill funding for flood protection measures in the Village of Sidney, which included infrastructure repairs to village pump stations and flap gates. With communities like Delaware County in mind, he helped author the provision in the Federal Disaster Aid Bill in 2012 that provided $200 million in Economic Development Administration (EDA) funding to help fund key economic growth projects in counties hammered by natural disasters. Schumer then secured $3.8 million from that provision for the Delaware County IDA. This funding provided critical support to relocate Amphenol Aerospace, keeping them in the community and saving over 950 jobs. Schumer’s efforts to secure disaster declarations unlocked the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (MPMG) fund, which brought nearly $7 million to local efforts to buy out over 100 flood-damaged properties in the Lower River Street neighborhood in Sidney for flood mitigation.

Schumer’s letter to Secretary Noem can be found HERE or below:

Dear Secretary Noem:

I write to urge you to reverse the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) recent decision for Project #4085-0060, also known as the Sidney Culvert project, after denying a request for an 18-month extension to complete the project. This request comes after the culmination of years of financial assessment, deliberation, and planning to transition the project from the Village of Sidney to Delaware County. By cancelling this project, FEMA will place the Village of Sidney and Delaware County in harm’s way and stop critical funding that would help mitigate and prevent flooding in local communities, helping to save lives and reduce the damage and costs of extreme weather.

The Village of Sidney, NY was impacted by devastating flooding in 2006 and 2011, forcing major evacuations and loss of property within the community. Most recently in 2011, flooding left 420 buildings damaged and the proximity of many neighborhoods to the Susquehanna River and Weir Creek have made flooding a constant threat. Since then, New York State, Delaware County, and the Village of Sidney have been working to design and construct mitigation projects to reduce the impacts of future flooding to protect lives and property. This project, as part of the designed flood mitigation strategy, would allow flood waters to recede from the Village quicker, lowering the risk of damages in future flooding events.

As a reimbursable FEMA funded project, the Delaware County Board of Supervisors has established a $5,000,000.00 project account to finance the construction. These funds have allowed the Village of Sidney and Delaware County to work through project compliance issues, engineering, design and permitting requirements, and develop alternative natural landscape designs to address the Greenplain and Ecological Restoration. Delaware County stepped forward to help the Village of Sidney with management of the construction project, grant management, and financing of the overall project as the implementation strategy of building five large culverts under NYS Route 8 is essential to relieving flooding impacts. Without these critical federal dollars, residents of the Village of Sidney and Delaware County will be at greater risk of property damage, injury, or even loss of life in future extreme weather events.

I urge you to reverse the previous denial decision and approve funding for this project to ensure the Village of Sidney and Delaware County can continue doing this important work to mitigate flooding in local communities and connect Sidney’s industrial park to essential areas in the Village.