State officials brushed aside a new criticism of how federal aid has been doled out in response to Superstorm Sandy after a group of small business owners accused the New Jersey Economic Development Authority on Wednesday of being too slow to distribute grants that can keep damaged businesses afloat.

The business owners, on a conference call with reporters organized by the advocacy group New Jersey Citizen Action, said the state has given out too little of the $100 million available in the Stronger NJ program. As of Wednesday, the state said it had awarded $13.6 million to 281 small businesses.