News article on 9/11 federal aid and hazard mitigation funding

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document Mike's new plan for 9/11 aid By MAGGIE HABERMAN DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Mayor Bloomberg has drawn up a new wish list for 9/11 feder- al emergency funds — making a pitch to shift money currentły ear- marked for the Port Authority and crisis counseling. The list, which was obtained by the Daily News, also reappor- tions funds targeted for a major rehab of a damaged CUNY build- ing near Ground Zero. Bloomberg's new priorities were spelled out in a recent memo to Federal Emergency Management Agency director Joe Allbaugh. Under the mayor's strategy, as much as $690 million would then be freed up for other uses - more than the $650 million that • Bloomberg has been asking FEMA to give the city for budget relief. New bunker needed Bloomberg argues that the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks caused hundreds of millions of dollars in related costs that FEMA's strict rules currently won't cover. Some of the money would go to pay for the city's new emergen- cy bunker after the old one at 7 World Trade Center was de- stroyed. Bloomberg also says the $800 million that FEMA has ear- marked for the PA, which owns the twin towers site, should be cut in half. The mayor also called for mov- ing $55 million from the $155 mil- lion allocated to Project Liberty, the post-9/11 crisis counseling service that has had a lower use than expected. The $170 million to remake Fi- terman Hall, the damaged Bor- ough of Manhattan Community College building just north of Ground Zero. should come down to $60 million, Bloomberg ar- gues. confirmed the mayor met with Allbaugh, but wouldn't say what was discussed. "Essentially, what they're talk- ing about is trying to create addi- tional remaining funds, and if the things they request are feasible, we'll entertain that," said Brad Gair, head of FEMA's lower Man- hattan effort. Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctor- off has pushed for the $650 mil- lion since last May. Gov. Pataki is DAILY &NEWS MEXCLUSIVE seeking $330 million in similar funds for the state. FEMA revealed last month that all but $366 million of the $8.8 bil- lion pot is already spoken for. Beyond funding the new emer- gency bunker from $418 million meant for projects to guard against future attacks, Bloomberg hopes to use $200 mil- lion of that money for police and fire costs. But several agencies also want that money, including the Metro- politan Transportation Authority and the PA, each of which has po- tential security projects that could qualify for such funds and has applied for them. Pataki told The News' editorial board last year that he's pushing FEMA to add roughly $1 billion to the hazard mitigation funds to help give extra aid to the city. The state, which must submit ap- plications for the hazard mitiga- tion grant on behalf of all othei agencies, has until March 11 to do so - the second extended deadline since last Sept. 11. Gair said his office has been waiting for City Hall and Albany to say jointly what they want from the various nots of FEMA money. A Bloomberg spokeswoman NYC-WTC_000151913