Katko Requests Relief For Shoreline Communities Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

by Contributor | April 27, 2020 3:01 pm

LAKE ONTARIO – With high water levels anticipated this spring along Lake Ontario’s southern shoreline, U.S. Reps. John Katko (R, NY-24) and Joseph Morelle (D, NY-25) today announced a bipartisan effort urging Congressional Leaders to act quickly to ensure Great Lakes communities have access to federal support as they respond to rising water levels amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, water levels on all five of the Great Lakes currently stand well above historic averages. For shoreline communities still recovering from years of persistent and costly flooding, sustained high-water levels in 2020 threaten to deal additional long-term damage to local property and infrastructure.

Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic creating significant financial strains for working families, businesses owners, and state and local governments, communities across the Great Lakes must contend with multiple ongoing threats to the physical and economic security of the region.

To address the dire circumstances presented by rising water levels and the ongoing public health emergency, Reps. Katko and Morelle led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling for stronger federal assistance for shoreline communities. Additionally, they urged the consideration of a long-term strategy across all levels of government for responding to the sustained threat of rising water levels on the Great Lakes.

“High-water levels and catastrophic flooding have devastated Lake Ontario’s southern shore in recent years, damaging local homes, businesses, and water infrastructure” said Rep. Katko. “The prospect of additional flooding in 2020 only exacerbates the significant uncertainty facing our community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, I believe Congress must act immediately to address the unique hardships facing families, businesses, and state and local governments across the Great Lakes. I am proud to join Rep. Morelle in leading this bipartisan effort to provide necessary relief to shoreline communities and secure strong federal investments in the resiliency of our coasts.”

“Families across our community are already struggling as they cope with the impacts of COVID-19. We must take action to ensure they do not endure further hardship and devastation due to flooding,” said Rep. Morelle. “I join my colleagues along the lakeshore in calling for additional resources and a long-term strategy to protect our residents and bolster coastal resiliency.”

“Fair Haven and shoreline communities across Lake Ontario have been plagued by persistent high water levels that have cost property owners and business owners alike hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Mayor of Fair Haven, James Basile. “Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing additional economic strain, many in our community are facing dire financial circumstances. We need additional support. I’m glad to see Congressman Katko spearheading this new effort to provide additional assistance for shoreline communities amid this crisis and thank him for his continued support.”

“The water levels in and around the Oswego Harbor have risen drastically and will continue to rise as the seasons continues,” said Mayor of Oswego, Billy Barlow. “The hardships created from the shoreline flooding and associated damage only exacerbates an already stressful situation due to COVID-19.  Home owners, businesses and municipalities are fighting two major battles at once and need immediate relief. I appreciate Congressman Katko’s continued advocacy and assistance and urge our federal government to act.”

“For the last four years we have battled high water along our shores, draining the resources of municipalities, businesses and residents,” said Mayor of Sodus Point, Dave McDowell. “We have been told we need to make our shorelines more resilient yet there is no clear direction on what that means and few resources to make that happen.  NYS recently allocated $300M to the REDI project which begins to address resiliency along our shore lines but that budget is not even close to what is needed.  The USACE has requested funding to make specific recommendations, yet that has not been allocated.  The IJC was given $1.5M to study how to adjust their Plan 2014.  We need action, not more studies.  Congressman Katko’s help and support is desperately needed and appreciated.”

Reps. Katko and Morelle were joined by 16 other Members of Congress in sending this bipartisan letter.

The full text of their request can be found below:

April 27, 2020

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell, and Leader Schumer,

We write to bring attention to the significant threat that rising water levels across the Great Lakes system poses to communities in our districts. As our nation continues responding to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it is critical that the Federal Government signal strong support for our region’s families, businesses, and state and local governments, many of whom will likely face further hardship in the coming months as a result of flood conditions and high-water levels.

According to data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, water levels on all five of the Great Lakes currently stand well above historic averages. These conditions pose serious risks to the safety and economic wellbeing of our constituents, with the livelihoods of approximately 40 million people dependent on the welfare of the Great Lakes watershed. For the numerous communities across our region that are still recovering from damages caused by pervasive flooding and high-water levels in recent years, the prospect of catastrophic flooding in 2020 represents an existential threat.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the uncertainty currently facing the Great Lakes region. As of April 16, 2020, four of the Great Lakes states ranked among the ten states nationwide with the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases. With communities already straining their resources in response to the dire public health threat presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the prospect of physical and economic damage as a result of significant flooding has the potential to deal catastrophic damage to the Great Lakes region.

Congress must act swiftly to ensure the Great Lakes region has access to the necessary resources to respond to high-water levels. In addition to strengthening the availability of federal disaster assistance for COVID-19 response efforts, proactive steps must be taken to ensure that relief remains available to families, businesses, and state and local governments that are directly impacted by severe flooding or other natural disasters in the midst of the pandemic. Substantive steps must also be taken to develop a long-term strategy across all levels of government for responding to high-water levels on the Great Lakes and investing in coastal resiliency measures for shoreline communities. These efforts are critical to confronting the significant challenges that are likely to face our region in the coming months.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this request.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/katko-requests-relief-for-shoreline-communities-amid-covid-19-pandemic/

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