The state announced today that $5 million in grants are available for small businesses that have experienced physical damage or loss as a result of the flooding in St. Lawrence communities, and other areas along Lake Ontario.

In St. Lawrence County, 40,000 sandbags distributed (20,000 from Army Corps of Engineers), and one sandbagger was deployed to the state sandbagging operation at 2317 Green Street.

The St. Lawrence River is reportedly more than 2 feet higher than last year with the towns of Hammond, Morristown, Lisbon and the city of Ogdensburg hit hardest by the flooding locally.

The program provides up to $20,000 to small businesses to support the repair or replacement of damaged or destroyed real property and other tangible assets, including equipment, furniture, fixtures, supplies and inventory.

Funding will be provided through Empire State Development and applications will be made available in June. DEC permitting offices and the state’s emergency response mobile command centers will offer weekend hours throughout the summer to assist residents and businesses, said a press release from the state.

Grants will be provided for flood-related costs that have not or will not be compensated by any other federal, state or local recovery program or any third-party payers.

Earlier this week, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced $10 million in state funding will be available to assist eligible local municipalities that have been impacted by the recent flooding.

To continue the state’s efforts in helping residents and businesses recover from flooding and damage, the state emergency response mobile command centers and DEC permitting offices will offer weekend hours throughout the summer, starting Memorial Day weekend.

In addition, those who are not able to visit the Emergency Response Mobile Command Center can call the Lake Ontario Flood Assistance Hotline at 1-866-244-3839, seven days a week, from 8 a.m. through 8 p.m. for help with insurance-related issues, assistance with flood mitigation measures such as sandbags, and for technical guidance regarding on-site repairs to their property.

In St. Lawrence Count, the state emergency response mobile command center will be open Thursday, May 25, and Monday, May 29, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. at The Dobinsky Center, 100 Riverside Ave., in Ogdensburg.

As part of the Lake Ontario Rapid Response Team, DEC staff will be available at the center to help answer questions in addition to deploying a team of experienced coastal engineers to Lake Ontario to meet with property owners, conduct site visits and offer technical assistance.

DEC’s engineers stand ready to work with property owners so that protective structures can be repaired and homeowners can take appropriate actions expeditiously, said a state press release.

To date, DEC has issued 286 permits.

If you are unable to visit a mobile location, the DEC will continue to provide support to communities through expedited permitting, site inspections, and technical guidance at regional offices, said a press release from the state.

To date, more than 1,100 individuals have sought help from the mobile command centers.

The DEC Regional Permit Office for Region 6 which includes Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties, is located at Dulles State Office Building, 317 Washington St., Watertown. They can be contacted by phone at 315-785-2245, by fax at 315-785-2242, or by email at dep.r6@dec.ny.gov. They are open daily from 8:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Emergency Management continues to coordinate with county and local partners in monitoring the water levels of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.