Suffolk blizzard disaster aid linked to NYC

Suffolk County's chances of landing federal disaster aid for blizzard damage will depend on whether New York City persuades Washington it deserves help with snow removal costs.

To qualify for reimbursement, Suffolk has to document at least $4.5 million in damage. In addition, there has to be $25 million in damage statewide. Both thresholds have to be met for a disaster declaration.

Joe Williams, Suffolk emergency services commissioner, said the county has already compiled claims totaling more than $10 million for erosion along with some snow removal costs. He expects the final total to reach $15 million.

"We think we'll meet that 4 1/2-million-dollar threshold easily for Suffolk County," County Executive Steve Levy said Thursday. "The bigger problem is getting the $25-million threshold for the state. We think that will be met as well."

But federal, state and emergency officials say meeting the state threshold is a long shot.

State emergency management regional director Ted Fisch said there was little erosion damage outside Suffolk. That means snow removal costs will have to make up the difference. Suffolk is counting on New York City's expected claim of $15 million for snow removal to help meet the statewide threshold, Williams said.

But snow removal is a separate category with tougher criteria. Regulations require at least a near-record snowfall - defined as being within 10 percent of the all-time high - for a disaster declaration.

SEE PHOTOSSnowstorms that buried LI over the past 100-plus years

"There are guidelines for snow removal costs but the City of New York feels they will meet those guidelines," Williams said.

But the city's snowfall record in Central Park was 26.9 inches in February 2006. The post-Christmas blizzard left 20 inches, about 25 percent less. The city would have to show snowfall at another spot was closer to a record to qualify.

The city emergency management office had no comment.

Nassau's threshold is $4.4 million. Its planned claim for minor erosion at Jones Beach won't meet the threshold but would push up the state number slightly.

Meanwhile, as Federal Emergency Management Agency and state Office of Emergency Management officials spent their second day in Suffolk documenting storm damage, Levy complained that FEMA has not released $35 million in disaster assistance already approved to repair erosion from storms in 2009 and last year.

"We are in danger of losing our beaches for the upcoming summer," he said.

FEMA spokesman Donald Caetano said "the reason that some of those claims have not been paid yet is that they are still pending environmental review, which is standard procedure" required by federal law.

FEMA and state emergency officials expect to remain in Suffolk until the middle of next week assessing the blizzard damage claims.