FEMA is distributing emergency aid funds

ALBANY, NY — Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and State Emergency Management Office officials continue response and recovery efforts for those affected by the severe storms and flooding of April 2 to 4.

More than $3.3 million has been approved for housing assistance as of May 2. Housing assistance may include lodging expense reimbursement, repair assistance and temporary rental assistance.

More than 2,000 New Yorkers have applied for disaster assistance, including 570 in Delaware, Orange and Sullivan counties, where $824,804 in assistance funding has been approved.

For more information call 800/621-FEMA or see fema.gov.

PA storm aid coming through

HARRISBURG, PA — Some $418,000 in aid has been approved by federal authorities for those affected by flooding earlier this month in Wayne and Pike counties.

As of April 29, some 43 applicants were approved for assistance of $91,000 in Wayne County, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA okayed 93 applicants in Pike County for some $327,000.

First easement purchase protects Sullivan farm

NEW YORK, NY — On April 27, the Open Space Institute announced that its land acquisition affiliate, the Open Space Conservancy, had acquired a conservation easement encumbering almost 300 acres of farmland in Sullivan County, which is owned by The Center for Discovery.

The acquisition, known as the Stonewall Preserve in Hurleyville was made possible with funding from the Lila Acheson and Dewitt Wallace Endowment. It marks the first time an agricultural conservation easement has been purchased in Sullivan County.

County and partnership fund business expansion program

BRIDGEVILLE, NY — After winning county approval for $25,000 in funding in April, the Sullivan County Partnership hit the ground running on May 3, announcing a new joint initiative with the county to expand local business opportunities.

The program will create a dedicated Business Expansion Specialist position, whose position will work specifically on business expansion with an emphasis on Sullivan Main Streets. Expansion projects included would involve new capital investment, new job creation, new main street development opportunities, enhanced long-term tax revenue for municipalities and sustainable economic development.

In addition, the partnership will take over the administration duties of the Main Street Revolving Loan Programs, through its Sullivan Investments Revolving Loan Committee. Programs like the Incubator Without Walls Revolving Loan fund focus on revitalizing Main Streets throughout Sullivan County.

For more information call 845/794-1110 or email info@scpartnership.com.

Wasting disease prompts emergency state regs

ALBANY, NY — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced on April 29 that it has implemented emergency regulations regarding the handling, transport and management of deer in the state. Those regulations are effective immediately and represent an aggressive response to the recent discovery of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a wild deer sampled in Oneida County.

The positive sample for CWD was from a wild yearling white-tailed deer and is the first known occurrence of CWD in a wild deer in New York State.

The regulations will establish a containment area in Oneida County, where CWD was identified and prohibit the movement of certain animal parts out of the containment area.

Highland considers hiring outside help

ELDRED, NY — The Town of Highland’s newly hired code enforcement officer, James Nolan, lives in Pond Eddy and the incumbent sole assessor, Lori King, is a Glen Spey resident, but the town has not hired constables from outside the town in past.

On May 10, the town board will hold a 6:30 p.m. public hearing for Local Law Number 1 of 2005, which would provide that the assessor, code enforcement officer and constables need not be residents of the town.

The town is also considering, but has scheduled no action on, a local law that would require a 500-foot setback for any new home construction on property adjoining hunting club lands. The planning board has rejected the measure.

Congress considering flooding prevention measures

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — With upriver support including that of Representatives Maurice Hinchey and Sue Kelly, a Pennsylvania congressman is calling for a study of means to reduce flooding along the Delaware River.

The bill, which has won bipartisan support, instructs the Army Corps of Engineers, in consultation with the Delaware River Basin Commission and the states of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware, to devise site-specific environmentally friendly ways, like preserving open space and voluntarily raising homes, to lessen the impact of future flooding.

The bill is Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick’s first piece of legislation as a U.S. representative and echoes a request that Kelly made earlier for a Corps of Engineers study.

Seneca Cayugas looking at Ulster

SAUGERTIES, NY — The Seneca Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma, which had been in line for a Sullivan County casino at the former Concord site is now considering the site of the 25th anniversary of the Woodstock festival, in Saugerties. The 840-acre field adjoins Thruway Exit 20.

Saugerties officials reportedly say they are listening to proposals from the tribe without taking any position as of yet.

The status of the out-of-state tribe’s plan remains in doubt with Governor George Pataki’s April withdrawal of legislation sponsoring five Sullivan County casinos.