Severe Weather Awareness Week is observed April 19-25. This is a time to learn more about thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning and flooding and prepare for the dangers they bring to New York State during the spring and summer seasons.
It also is another opportunity to push for legislation I have introduced that would assist Central New York and Mohawk Valley communities hit hard by extreme weather events and ensure that local governments are prepared for severe weather that may strike in the future.
Over the past several years, the region has experienced a series of significant weather events. On July 16, 2024, a high-end EF2 tornado struck Rome and caused significant damage across the city, as well as in Canastota. From approximately January 6 through February 25, 2025, extreme winter weather, including high winds, non-stop snow and blizzard like conditions, swept through Central New York and the Mohawk Valley, resulting in roof collapses, ice dams and damage to structures. In June 2025, severe storms – including a deadly tornado – hit Clark Mills, Kirkland, Clinton, Oneida and other communities in the region.
My bill (S.7761), which is in committee, would:
- Provide grants to small businesses, farms, owners of multiple dwellings, homeowners associations and not-for-profit organizations that sustained direct physical damage from extreme weather events to help with repairs.
- Expand and strengthen the state’s Resilient and Ready Storm Damage Recovery and Resilient Retrofit programs to offer additional emergency home repair assistance and/or reimbursement to impacted homeowners recent extreme weather events in the region and those that may occur in the future.
- Create the Central New York property/casualty insurance resiliency incentive program to facilitate property/casualty insurance discounts for mitigation efforts. As a result of this program, property/casualty insurers in New York would be encouraged to offer loss mitigation tools and services to policyholders for free or reduced cost.
A companion bill (A.8780) has been introduced by Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D-Marcy.
This legislation is part of my ongoing efforts to help residents in the region affected by extreme weather. I also have joined with other area state lawmakers to urge the governor to consider:
- Increasing the allocation for the Extreme Winter Recovery program and designating the communities affected by this substantial weather event as eligible for this additional funding to help repair damaged highways and bridges.
- The further sharing and providing of additional services and equipment from state agencies due to the excessive amount of snow and ice that has created significant public safety hazards for pedestrians and motorists.
- Increasing the availability of the Department of Financial Services to assist residents with expediting insurance claims and expanding access to additional financial support from the state like what was done following devastating flooding in the region.
New Yorkers need to know that when disaster hits, the state will deliver the needed resources that will help them rebuild, recover, and overcome.
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