In another sign that Hurricane Irene is making history, President Barack Obama has granted Governor Andrew Cuomo's request to declare a federal emergency for the state of New York. Obama announced the decision, which frees up federal disaster aid dollars, tonight.
Here's the announcement on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's website:
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal aid has been made available to New York to supplement the state and local response efforts in the area due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Irene beginning on August 25, 2011, and continuing.
The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Nassau, and Suffolk.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.
Philip E. Parr has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.
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