FEMA awards Oswego more than $2 million for repairs at Wright’s Landing Marina

OSWEGO, N.Y. — The City of Oswego will use federal funding of more than $2.2 million for “critical” repairs to the Wright’s Landing Marina.

The federal funds are administered through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Oswego will use the money to restore Oswego’s Wright’s Landing Marina. It has been “severely damaged by flooding” that took place on Lake Ontario in 2017, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.) said in a Wednesday news release.

“The flooding of Lake Ontario in 2017 and again this year has devastated shoreline communities and recreational spaces such as Wright’s Landing Marina and the regional economy right alongside it,” Schumer said. “This funding is a critical investment that will help the City of Oswego restore the Marina, improve its resiliency to future extreme weather events and ensure the lakeshore economy continues to thrive.”

The shoreline of Lake Ontario was declared a major disaster in 2017 after “extreme flooding caused severe damage” in the spring and summer of that year, making communities like Oswego eligible for FEMA assistance. “Extreme flooding” again plagued the Lake Ontario shoreline in 2019, and the senators said this funding will help repair the damage along Oswego’s Wrights Landing Marina. 

“The awarded funding will allow us to repair Wright’s Landing Marina and the International Pier and will be coordinated with money awarded by the New York State REDI program. I’m thrilled to receive this funding and plan to repair and reinforce our infrastructure as soon as possible to prevent more damage from occurring again this season,” Oswego Mayor William Barlow, Jr. said in the release.   

FEMA provided this funding through its Public Assistance grant program (PA), which provides grants to government organizations and private nonprofit organizations after an official major disaster declaration. The purpose of PA is to help communities recover from and respond to disasters and emergencies “quickly,” the lawmakers said.

The PA is authorized under section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com