LI to get $26M for Irene cleanup costs

More than $26 million in federal funding will be funneled to Long Island to defray recovery costs from Tropical Storm Irene last year, federal officials announced Thursday.

The bulk of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds heads to the Long Island Power Authority and public agencies for repairs and debris removal after the Aug. 28 storm, said Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

With claims still pending, the push for more aid goes, the New York Democrats said in a news release.

LIPA filed a $170 million claim after its grid was damaged.

Power outages that lasted for days in some areas forced businesses to discard perishable inventory. Towns hauled off tens of thousands of tons of debris.

"Long Islanders shouldn't have to pick up the pieces all by themselves," Schumer said.

Gillibrand said the funding will help families and businesses rebuild. "Long Island took some of the very worst" of the storm, she said.

FEMA, which reimburses 75 percent of eligible costs, gave money to the following:

LIPA: $10.1 million for crews, $4.7 million for services and materials for an emergency operations center and $1 million for housing off-Island crews.

Nassau County public works: $5.8 million for debris removal.

Huntington Town: $2.6 million for debris removal.

Nassau County police: $1.9 million for emergency patrols, securing roads and providing shelters.