New York's two U.S. senators are asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency to explain why it rejected the state's request for a major disaster declaration after the February 2026 blizzard, then denied an appeal. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer requested the agency's analysis and reasoning by Oct. 5.
The storm brought heavy snow, whiteout conditions and coastal flooding to downstate New York. The state's request sought public assistance for Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties; snow assistance for several New York City boroughs, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties; and hazard mitigation assistance statewide, according to the senators.
FEMA denied the initial request July 2 and the appeal Sept. 2. Gillibrand and Schumer said neither denial explained the agency's decision. A major disaster declaration would have made federal assistance available for eligible state and local recovery expenses, but the senators' release did not specify how much reimbursement the state sought.
The lawmakers accused the Trump administration of politicizing disaster assistance. That is their allegation, not a finding established by the denial letters described in their release. They cited public reporting that federal staff had found the storm met declaration standards and that President Donald Trump overruled that assessment; the release did not include the underlying agency analysis.
The request also does not mean every affected area or expense would have qualified for reimbursement. Public assistance, snow assistance and statewide hazard mitigation were separate components of the state's proposed declaration, and FEMA would have had to approve the declaration before funding decisions could proceed.
The senators previously urged a federal declaration after the storm, and Gov. Kathy Hochul appealed the first denial. Their latest letter seeks the basis for both decisions after that appeal failed. It is a request for records and explanation, not a new disaster declaration or a reversal of FEMA's ruling.
Gillibrand and Schumer said the absence of a stated rationale leaves state and local governments without a clear account of why aid was refused. FEMA's response to the senators' Oct. 5 request will determine whether the agency provides that explanation; the source release did not include a new agency response.
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