From left, Assembywoman Jaffee, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, state Senator David Carlucci, Suffern Mayor Trish Abato, Deputy Mayor Jo Meegan-Corrigan and a Squires Gate Resident from Suffern.

When the winds and waters of Hurricane Irene washed through Rockland County some two years ago, certain parts of Suffern got hit particularly hard. The Mahwah River flooded homes in the Squires Gate community along the Mahwah River, especially on Lonergan Drive, where some residents found themselves waist deep in water that made their homes uninhabitable.

Finally, after a FEMA program bought out eligible homeowners, four houses were torn down this past January. Late last week, the Village of Suffern took part in a ceremony to mark the awarding of $3 million as part of the NY Rising Community Reconstruction Program in response to damage from Hurricane Sandy.

Suffern home in the Squires Gate neighborhood of Suffern, NY being demolished due to flooding during Hurricane Irene / News 12

“With this additional funding Suffern will now be able to study and implement a flood mitigation plan in the Squires Gate Community and have the money to back it up,” said Suffern Mayor Trish Abato as she met with state Sen. David Carlucci, U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee at Suffern Village Hall.

“I am very thankful that our elected officials heard the needs of Suffern and worked with to have Suffern added as a community in the New York Rising program,” said Suffern Mayor Abato. “I also look forward to studying other areas in Suffern that may benefit from this program.”

Congresswoman Nita Lowey speaking about Suffern flood relief and mitigation.

As part of the plan Suffern will put together a 15 member panel of community members ( 2 will represent the state) and begin to develop a comprehensive plan of action related to storm mitigation and economic development. Suffern’s committee will include members from the private and public sector.

“This aid will go a long way to create a flood mitigation plan that is backed with funding for implementation that will finally fortify the Squires Gate neighborhood,” said Sen. Carlucci, D-New City. Carlucci said that residents of the Squires Gate Community “know all too well how recent disasters can effect a local community.”

Lowey, D-Westchester/Rockland, said that since Congress passed the Sandy aid bill in January 2013, Rockland County has received more than $25 million in federal aid that has helped communities get back on their feet — other communities receiving funds include Stony Point and Clarkstown. “These funds will help our community not only recover, but take proactive steps to help prevent damage from future storms,” Lowey said. “But our work is not done.”

Flooding along the Mahwah River in Suffern has been an on-going problem, one that the newly formed community committee will review. Some Squires Gate residents have submitted funding requests through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program that would help pay for a siphoning system to relieve excess Mahwah River water during heavy rains and floods.

If granted, the money would be used to build a siphoning system to divert excess water from the Mahwah into the former Tilcon quarry, which is in the village but owned by the Town of Ramapo.

The New York Rising Community Reconstruction (NYRCR) program was established by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to provide additional rebuilding and revitalization assistance to communities damaged by Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee. This program empowers communities to prepare locally-driven recovery plans to identify innovative reconstruction projects and other needed actions to allow each community not only to survive, but also to thrive in an era when natural risks will become increasingly common.

The NYRCR program is managed by the New York State Homes and Community Renewal and the Department of State. The NYRCR program consists of both planning and implementation phases, to assist communities in making informed recovery decisions.

Photos and additional contributions from Nyack Free Press. Lonergan Drive demolition photo courtesy of News 12.