State requests federal disaster declaration for St. Lawrence County

ALBANY, New York (WWNY) - The state is asking President Joe Biden to declare a major disaster for St. Lawrence County in the wake of the Christmastime blizzard that dumped feet of snow in parts of the north country.

In a release Friday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said she requested the declaration to help communities affected by the heavy snowfall. Federal money will be used to reimburse local governments for snow removal and other costs.

The southwestern part of St. Lawrence County was hit hard by the blizzard. First responders used snowmobiles and ATVs to rescue motorists stranded by the storm and plows struggled to clear the roads.

The governor requested the assistance after authorities determined that affected areas reached the required federal damage threshold.

The state is also seeking federal disaster declarations for Suffolk County on Long Island and Erie, Genesee, and Niagara counties in western New York.