FEMA disaster assistance line: 800/621-3362.

DEP provides help for flooded tanks

WILKES-BARRE, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is offering free pumping and removal services for flooded or damaged home heating oil tanks for residents in areas affected by the recent flooding. In addition, DEP will remove drums, tanks, cylinders or pressure vessels, such as compressed gas cylinders, that wash onto private property.

“The regional Emergency Response Program has contracted with companies that will pump any remaining oil from the tanks, retrieve and remove home heating oil or propane tanks, and conduct limited cleanup of heating oil for affected residents,” DEP Northeast Regional Director Michael Bedrin said.

To obtain this service, call 570/826-2511 on a 24-hour basis. The name, address and telephone number will be taken and an appointment made for DEP staff and a contractor to come to the affected home.

Visit depweb.state.pa.us and use keyword phrase “Flood Recovery” for more information.

Water testing kits available in NE PA

WILKES-BARRE, PA — Residents affected by flooding in northeastern Pennsylvania can obtain free water kits from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to test private wells for contamination caused by the possible invasion of flood water.

Water sample kits, instructions and other flood recovery information are available at the DEP’s district offices, including 1 Public Square in Wilkes-Barre and Room 400 of the Scranton State Office Building on Lackawanna Avenue in Scranton, 570/963-4521. The water will be tested free of charge by the DEP, and homeowners should have the results in about a week from submitting a sample.

Additional distribution points for the water testing kits may be established as more disaster relief centers open.

New York establishes disaster hotline

ALBANY, NY — A toll-free hotline has been established to assist victims of the recent flooding with the state’s individual and family grant applications.

The hotline number is 888/7-NYS-AID. Operators will be available to answer it from Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Applications are available on line at www.labor.state.ny.us and at Disaster Assistance Service Centers.

The Disaster Assistance Service Center for Sullivan County is Sullivan County International Airport, Terminal Building, County Route 183A, in White Lake.

The individual and family grant program will provide up to $5,000 for documented flood losses not covered by insurance or other government programs.

Eighth Annual Callicoon Canoe Regatta cancelled

HANKINS & CALLICOON, NY – What was to have been the Eighth Annual Callicoon Canoe Regatta has been cancelled.

The race, which includes kayaks as well as canoes, is always held between Hankins, NY and Callicoon, NY, 7.3 miles to the south on the Delaware River. The event was to have been part of the Upper Delaware Grand Slam Canoe Series.

“The flood hurt the area,” said one of the organizers, Tom Freda. “The Hankins Campground, where it starts, was wiped out. The Delaware Youth Center was devastated. There is too great a risk of liability. Even more important is that participants could be easily injured.”

Freda said that many of the sponsors have donated their contributions to the youth center, as have many of the participants with their registration fees.

Training standards established for planning officials

ALBANY, NY — The New York State Legislature has approved legislation sponsored by Senator George H. Winner Jr. (R-C, Elmira) and Assemblywoman Sandy Galef (D-Ossining) to establish minimum training requirements for municipal planning and zoning officials.

“Local officials are given the primary responsibility for regulating local land use in New York State. Training in modern land use tools and strategies can help these officials better address land use decisions that have become increasingly complex and decisive to the future quality of our communities,” said Winner, chairman of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources. The legislation (S.63 I6/A.9259) proposes a minimum training standard of four hours annually for members of local planning boards, zoning boards of appeal and county planning boards. Municipalities are provided with the flexibility to structure the training requirement in a variety of ways.

A wide variety of land use training is available throughout the state at no cost to participants, so that the four-hour minimum requirement can be obtained with minimal fiscal impact.

Spitzer warns against price gouging

ALBANY, NY — State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has warned New York State businesses against price gouging in the wake of shortages caused by the recent flooding.

State law prohibits excessive increases in prices for essential goods and services. The Attorney General’s office will be monitoring prices for items such as food and water, fuel, towing and other vital or emergency goods and services, and is prepared to prosecute those who violate the law.

Consumers in Orange and Sullivan counties who wish to report suspected price gouging may do so at 845/485-3900 or 800/771-7755.