Modified: January 23, 2015 2:10pm
Letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Details Strong Objections to Audit Findings, Calls for Withdrawal & Rejection of Conclusions
ERIE COUNTY, NY— Today, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz issued a formal response letter to the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“OIG”) regarding that office’s February 8, 2013 audit entitled “FEMA Should Recover $48 Million of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Erie County, New York – Severe Weather October 2006” (“Audit”).
“This response letter provides a clear and concise refutation of the flawed findings of the OIG audit, and demonstrates that Erie County acted appropriately at each step of the cleanup process after the October Storm,” said Poloncarz. “I am calling on OIG to withdraw this audit, and am also calling upon FEMA to reject the audit’s findings and decline to seek payment from Erie County or NYSEMO. I thank Senator Charles Schumer for arranging a meeting with FEMA Administrator Fugate, and look forward to discussing this matter with him.”