Rumson to Get $2.9M for Sandy Debris Removal

Rumson learned Wednesday that a $2.9 million reimbursement for debris cleanup costs related to Superstorm Sandy has been authorized by FEMA.

The Oct. 29, 2012 storm knocked down thousands of large trees, sent houses, decks and pools floating through neighborhoods, and forced people to put the moldy wallboards and contaminated contents of their homes out to the curb. 

U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) said in their announcement Wednesday that the grant is part of a $14,130,868 million in federal Sandy aid, provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance grant program.

Other municipalities that got a check in this phase of reimbursement aid are Sayreville, Newark, Middletown, and Readington.  

“Officials in municipalities throughout the State moved quickly to clean up Superstorm Sandy’s wreckage, and this federal funding will help our communities cover their costs,” said Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and co-author of the Sandy relief bill.

“New Jersey communities that felt Superstorm Sandy’s impact were resilient and spent time, money, and energy rebuilding,” said Sen. Robert Menendez.  “The over $14 million in federal Sandy relief will help these communities recoup some storm-related costs and also help New Jersey’s long-term recovery." 

In January, President Barack Obama signed the Superstorm Sandy Supplemental Appropriations bill into law, bringing the total Sandy aid enacted by Congress to $60.2 billion.  The funding package included federal aid to help homeowners, businesses, and communities recover, and resources to rebuild coastal, transportation, and water infrastructure.