U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer has announced that the Village of Cobleskill in Schoharie County will receive $2,325,000 in federal funds to make repairs to its water supply system and water treatment plant.
Schumer explained that this funding will be allocated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and provide a significant portion of the total funding for this water system improvement project.
The total cost of the project is $3.1 million and will implement necessary mitigation measures to protect the water supply and reduce flooding in the Cobleskill Water System. Schumer explained that Cobleskill is home to three major water reservoirs that need these improvements, as well as a water treatment plant in desperate need of repairs. The project makes improvements to the water treatment plant and Dow Reservoir as well as dredge and repair Cobleskill’s dam spillway.
In February of this year, Schumer urged FEMA to swiftly approve funding for this water supply improvement project, which is critical to Schoharie County and the Capital Region. Schumer explained that the State of New York identified this Capital Region project as a top priority for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and will now expedite funds to Cobleskill so that the project can get underway.
The HMGP program provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the HMGP is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.
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Press Release, July 31, 2014