Sandy Left Eroded Shores Vulnerable
Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder has called upon the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to immediately replenish the sand that was displaced from Rockaway’s beaches during Hurricane Sandy.
“Our neighborhood is suffering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy and we must act immediately to protect our families and our community from impending storms,” said Goldfeder. “It has been over two months since the storm ravaged our community and it seems that little has been done to replace the missing sand.”
It is estimated that Hurricane Sandy removed close to one million cubic yards of sand from Rockaway’s beaches. As a temporary solution, the city Parks Department has worked with the Department of Sanitation and state health agencies to clean sand displaced during the storm and construct mounds along the beach to shield the community from the additional flooding.
“As a community we have been begging for action for far too long and it is a shame that it took a natural disaster to get the attention we deserve.” Goldfeder added. “For more than 10 years we have been waiting for the completion of a study to determine what we already know; that rock jettys are the best way to protect our beaches and neighborhoods.”
While the immediate focus remains on beach replenishment, last March, Goldfeder together with Sen. Charles Schumer called for the Army Corps of Engineers to restore funding for the Rockaway Beach Study that began in 2004.
After three decades of continuous beach upgrades by the Army Corps, it was determined that the beach required a comprehensive, long-term plan for protection and upkeep.
Significant progress had been made while funding was steady. However, the loss of federal funding in 2011 delayed the project’s completion.
“I commend the agencies that are working hard to provide some form of temporary relief but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must step up and rebuild the beach immediately to provide our community with the protection and peace of mind we deserve,” Goldfeder concluded. “The time for action is now and while adding sand to the beach is still only a temporary solution, it must be done to keep our homes and families safe.”
