Governor Cuomo's Executive Order: Declaring a State of Emergency as Winter Storm Approaches

LongIsland.com

Just hours before the Winter Storm is supposed to hit Long Island, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has declared a State of Emergency in New York.

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Long Island, NY - January 2nd, 2014 - Just hours before the Winter Storm is supposed to hit Long Island, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has declared a State of Emergency in New York.

WHEREAS, on January 2, 2014 and continuing thereafter, a strong winter storm began to impact New York State, and poses an imminent danger to vital public transportation, utility service, and public health and public safety systems within the counties of Albany, Allegany, Bronx, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Kings, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, St. Lawrence, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westchester, Wyoming and Yates; and

WHEREAS, this winter storm is predicted to produce blizzard-like conditions, snowfall amounts of approximately one foot, winds in excess of 45 miles per hour, and dangerously cold wind chills and these conditions may cause widespread power outages and roadway closures, damage to homes and businesses and public and private property, may result in moderate to severe coastal erosion, and will continue to pose a threat to the public health and safety;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ANDREW M. CUOMO, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the Laws of the State of New York, do hereby find that a disaster is imminent for which the affected local governments are unable to respond adequately. Therefore, pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution of the State of New York and Section 28 of Article 2-B of the Executive Law, I hereby declare a State Disaster Emergency effective January 2, 2014 within the territorial boundaries of the counties of Albany, Allegany, Bronx, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Kings, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, St. Lawrence, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westchester, Wyoming and Yates; and

FURTHER, pursuant to Section 29 of Article 2-B of the Executive Law, I direct the implementation of the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and authorize, effective January 2, 2014, the State Office of Emergency Management, the Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, the State Police, the Division of Military and Naval Affairs, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the State Department of Correctional Services, the Public Service Commission, the Office of Fire Prevention and Control, the Department of Labor, the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Office of General Services, the State University of New York, the Thruway Authority, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, other State agencies as necessary, and the American Red Cross to take appropriate action to protect State property and to assist affected local governments and individuals in responding to and recovering from this disaster, and to provide such other assistance as necessary to protect the public health and safety.

IN ADDITION, Subdivision 1 of Section 88 of the Railroad Law insofar as it requires the Superintendent of the State Police to appoint railroad police officers only upon the application of a corporation, express company, or steamboat company, and is modified to the extent necessary to allow the Governor to appoint sworn members of the Connecticut State Police, sworn police officers of any county or municipality in the State of Connecticut, sworn members of the New Jersey State Police, and sworn police officers of any county or municipality in the State of New Jersey as railroad police officers, and to include all rail and bus facilities and property owned, operated or in the custody or control of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey or its subsidiaries, the Metropolitan Transit Authority or its subsidiaries, New Jersey Transit or its subsidiaries, and ferries certified to carry passengers to and from New York State; and

FURTHER, I have designated Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, as the State Coordinating Officer for this event.