U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) not to clawback millions in federal Superstorm Sandy funds given to Long Island's Town of North Hempstead and Long Beach School District.

Reports from the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) recommended that these funds be disallowed. The storm struck the East Coast on Oct. 28, 2012.

“Sandy funds we helped deliver to hard-hit communities like North Hempstead and Long Beach need to stay on Long Island,” said Senator Schumer. “These communities worked in good faith to recover quickly after Superstorm Sandy, and that's why I am publicly urging FEMA not to clawback these funds. Whether it was removing dangerous debris, making immediate repairs, or performing work at local schools, these federal funds helped make a difference in the lives of Long Islanders, and to claw them back — at the expense of local taxpayers — could be an unwarranted punch to the gut for all of Long Island.”

'Deeply flawed audit report'

“We thank Senator Schumer for urging FEMA to not claw back the federal disaster funds that enabled the town to work quickly to remove debris and make streets and roadways passable following Superstorm Sandy. We believe the OIG's audit report to be deeply flawed and that FEMA will recognize that the town followed the necessary procedures, complied with contract rules, and served as careful custodians of the federal disaster relief funds,” said Judi Bosworth, North Hempstead Town Supervisor.