Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday night that by declaring a state of emergency, he can direct resources to the counties hardest-hit by the storm.
The declaration also gives him authority to suspend rules and regulations that would impede recovery.
The state of emergency applies to Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Delaware, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rensselaer, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties.
The unusually early storm made the roads a misery to traverse, knocked out power to tens of thousands statewide and disrupted flights and public transportation.
