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Read the press release here.

LaGuardia Airport to Get $37M in Flood Prevention Upgrades

By Jess Wisloski | November 17, 2013 6:31pm
 Gov. Andrew Cuomo committed funds to improve flood mitigation at LaGuardia Airport on Nov. 17, 2013.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo committed funds to improve flood mitigation at LaGuardia Airport on Nov. 17, 2013.
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DNAinfo/Colby Hamilton

QUEENS — Nearly $40 million in federal and state funds will help prepare LaGuardia Airport for the city's next major flood-related event, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday, one year after Hurricane Sandy brought pieces of the city's infrastructure, including major transit hubs, to a standstill.

The majority of the funding for the five projects, which totals $37.5 million, is anticipated to come from a disaster mitigation and recovery award from the federal government, said Cuomo. In total, the federal funds will add up to about $28.1 million, Cuomo said.

"Projects like these will significantly improve flood protection and electrical resiliency at LaGuardia and throughout the state," he said. "New York state government is working every day to build back better than before."

The five projects, which will allow the airport to enhance area drainage capacity, install flood control measures and improve the resilience of electrical power services in an emergency, are "critical" to the airport's operations, aviation director Thomas Bosco said.

"In any emergency, we have three major responsibilities to our customers, and that is to protect life, preserve property and get back to business as soon as [is] practical," said Bosco. "I applaud Governor Cuomo for his commitment to making sure New York’s airports are fully prepared for any future flooding events."