FEMA has released a revised version of the latest flood maps that put much of Queens’ waterfront property into high-risk zones for the first time in 30 years in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
As homeowners in these neighborhoods got the word that they will now have to buy flood insurance and comply with stricter building codes for new structures, Mayor Michael Bloomberg released his ambitious plan to protect the city’s coastline from rising water.
The new maps cover a broad swath of Queens which had never been included in federal flood zones before Sandy hit and took its toll on millions of dollars of suddenly vulnerable real estate.
Residents of Howard Beach, Hamilton Beach and part of Lindenwood will find themselves classified in the same flood zone as the Rockaways, some of Rosedale, Willets Point and two sections of Long Island City.
The new maps envision that up to 25 percent of the city will be in the floodplain by 2050.
In his final year as mayor, Bloomberg set out a $19.5 billion blueprint to lead the city through future bouts of extreme weather and heavy flooding.
“Whether you believe climate change is real or not is beside the point,” Bloomberg said last week. “We can’t run the risk.”
With the Rockaways in his sights, he recommended a double-dune system for Breezy Point that could be replicated in the rest of the Rockaways if successful.
The mayor called for the restoration of natural wetlands in spots such as Jamaica Bay, where he wants to see a surge protector installed at the mouth.
He also warned that insurance rates for coastal dwellers would soar but could be cut sharply if a structure in a flood zone is elevated and suggested an incentive program to help homeowners pay for such improvements.
Bloomberg covered all the bases, but the big question is who will implement his plan after he is out of office seven months from now. About $10 billion in funds is already in place, but the federal government holds the key to another $5 billion — a shaky prospect given the political climate in Washington these days.
But for Queens, which has coastlines on three sides, Bloomberg understands the stakes and the need to act now. We support his initial round of efforts to keep the borough above water and we will push our elected officials to take up his fight to prepare us for more devastating storms as the century progresses.
