Officials from New York visit storm damage in Steuben County

Steuben County, New York – Local, state, and federal representatives from New York visited communities affected by the post-Depression Debby.

On their initial visit, the officials saw damage to people’s residences and tree trunks on the ground near Canisteo by County Route 119. Congressman Nick Langworthy of the 23rd District of New York, according to one of the flood victims, was shocked by the extent of the damage.
There were heaps of debris and a home on the water at the county bridge, just down the road. Eric Rose, the Steuben County Commissioner of Public Works, states that only official vehicles are permitted to drive on the bridge.

“We have the house and loose debris that has come down through with a lot of dead stuff that has been stuck in the waterways from previous storms, dead trees, and agricultural stuff that has already expired for some time,” Rose stated. “The house holds great significance, but we are unable to remove it at this time. We must remove this stuff as quickly and safely as possible to avoid further damaging the structure, but the cost is significant.”

The next stop for the New York official was the town of Greenwood, which is close to Bennetts Creek, where a portion of a road had been swept away.

The Jasper-Troupsburg High School was the second location to be affected by flooding; the school’s cafeteria, tech, and woodshop rooms had their floors covered in muck and debris. Fifteen houses along the Tuscarora Creek’s bank were inundated close to the school. Timothy Marshall, the director of public safety for Steuben County, stated that the weather exposed the bank that was eroding at that sewage pump.

Marshall stated, “So, right now, fixing that pump station urgently is our top priority in order to prevent it from freezing during the winter.”

The storm had an impact on Woodhull’s local businesses as well. According to Susan Kane of H.P. Smith & Son Insurance Agency, the storm’s damage caused the sheetrock and floor to tear. Kane went on to say that in order to fix the building, they must spend at least $100,000.

Stephanie Cady, owner of Cady Estates Catering, reported that her utility room and furnace in her basement suffered significant damage due to flooding. She continued by saying that the Tuscarora Creek needed to be cleared out and dredged.

“The flood that occurred three years ago never was completed, and as you can see, the damage is just as bad here. Obviously, the damage is much worse in other areas, but because it never was, we had to endure the same thing, nearly to the day,” Cady remarked.

Congressman Langworthy stated that his evaluation of the sites was eye-opening and continued, “We hear a constant theme of the fact that we need management on these creeks.” We must dredge our streams. The DEC appears to be impeding local elected authorities’ authority to remove those, and I believe that has made the situation much worse.

The next step, in Congressman Langworthy’s opinion, is to collaborate with Governor Hochul and the US Senators from New York to push for a disaster declaration.