United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has become the latest member of Schoharie County's state and federal delegation to support the county's ongoing appeal to FEMA representatives in an attempt to relocate the Public Safety Facility and jail outside of the floodplain. She joins senior Senator Charles Schumer and Congressman Gibson's earlier calls.
In a letter addressed to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate in late February, Mrs. Gillibrand expressed her concerns that, "rebuilding the facility in the same location exposes the County to potential future damage due to severe storms and flooding." She would go on to point out that the, "structure has been damaged by floodwaters three times in the last 20 years."
Schoharie County officials appealed FEMA's earlier decision to deny relocation of the county jail after the agency justified their refusal by arguing that, one - state funds would be used during the course of the project in direct conflict with federal regulation, and two - the county could not add mitigation costs to construction figures to overcome FEMA's 50/50 rule.
In her written appeal to Mr. Fugate, Senator Gillibrand stated that she believed that a, "future flood could have a larger impact on the County's emergency preparedness as the County would have to evacuate all inmates and interrupt their emergency operations." Alluding to the county's proposed alternative, Gillibrand renewed her call that, "FEMA consider the appeal from Schoharie County."
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