Senator Bonacic Visits Four Counties

SENATOR BONACIC VISITS FOUR COUNTIES
Urges MTA to Expand Bus Service; Urges President Obama to Declare Orange and Sullivan Counties a Disaster Area  

Between Sunday and Tuesday, State Senator John Bonacic has visited locations around the four counties of his Senate District to view flood damaged properties and put local officials in touch with officials from the State and FEMA.   

“I want to thank our firefighters, EMS workers, many of whom are volunteers, for their amazing service.  In addition I want thank our National Guard troops, FEMA staff, State and local emergency management staff, law enforcement and utility workers for what I know has been days long efforts on their part.  Lastly, I want to compliment our local officials, who, in addition to dealing with their own personal situations as it relates to Hurricane Irene, are helping to heal their communities as well,” Senator Bonacic said.    

The Senator also urged President Obama to add Sullivan and Orange Counties to his list of counties impacted by the disaster.  “Parts of Orange and Sullivan County were substantially damaged.  It would be appropriate to declare a disaster area for those counties as well,” Senator Bonacic said.  

In addition to visiting with families and officials across his Senate District, Senator Bonacic’s office in Middletown has been helping direct constituents with questions to appropriate government help.  He and his office have also been participating in phone conference calls with utilities across the region.   

Senator Bonacic’s office also attended today’s meeting of the MTA in Rockland County.  At that meeting, MTA officials acknowledged they had fifteen miles of tracks along the Port Jervis line in need of rebuild, and that rebuilding could take months.  The Senator has urged the MTA to expand busing services from Harriman to Port Jervis so people who are used to commuter rail service from Port Jervis, Otisville or Middletown can continue to have convenient access to mass transit services.   

Links to utility updates and disaster assistance are available on Senator Bonacic’s website:  www.SenatorBonacic.com. 

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