Governor Andrew Cuomo is preparing to ask for about $30 billion from the federal government ahead of President Obama’s trip to New York this week. These funds would go toward disaster relief for New York City and other affected areas of the state. Cuomo also wants to rustle up some federal funding to strengthen the region’s infrastructure, The New York Times writes:
He is looking at a proposal to replace the region’s power grid with a so-called smart grid that would improve the ability of utility companies to pinpoint areas with power failures and respond to them. That proposal could cost at least $30 billion over 10 years, according to senior aides to the governor.
In addition, Mr. Cuomo is looking at a plan to have the federal government invest billions of dollars to modernize the fuel supply capacity of the New York City region to avoid the kind of gas shortages that have plagued New Yorkers since the storm barreled through.
The plan would include building new oil and gas pipelines from the New England states to reduce New York’s dependence on fuel that arrives through ports in New Jersey, a state that was also hobbled by the storm and was thus unable to continue to fully supply the region with fuel.
Mr. Cuomo is also considering the creation of an emergency petroleum reserve for the state, much like the one the federal government has at its disposal in the event of a national crisis.
