The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has submitted its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) insurance claims to recover $65 million in losses suffered due to Hurricane Irene, which hit the city one year ago this week.
The claim is currently being reviewed and the MTA has already received a $5 million advance payment.
“MTA employees in the field worked tirelessly, both to minimize damage in preparing for the storm and to make the repairs needed to restore service as quickly as possible,” said Joseph Lhota, MTA chairman and CEO, in a statement.
FEMA has already approved 59 of the project worksheets, totaling $27.7 million, covering the MTA service area. According to an MTA release, FEMA typically reimburses 75 percent of approved costs and the MTA is expecting to recover a significant portion of its $25 million insurance deductible.
Metro-North, which suffered the most damages out of the different MTA operating agencies, is seeking $27 million. The total is well below the initial estimate, according to the statement, and repairs were completed in just under three months.
New York City Transit’s claim is $22 million, for overtime preparing for the storm and losses, and a further $14 million in lost revenue. MTA bridges and tunnels lost nearly $9 million, mostly in tolls due to traffic drop and no-toll evacuations.
According to FEMA, after Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, $7.1 million was approved in grants to provide counseling for traumatized New York residents, $12 million was approved in 126 contracts for local New York businesses, and $9 million in grant money was given to the Disaster Case Management mission to help survivors’ unmet needs.
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