The presidential task force has strongly suggested that much needs to be done in order to protect our coastlines from more intense and frequent storms, which will bring as much destruction as Hurricane Sandy did.
Protecting our infrastructure is critical. We must strengthen our natural barriers along our beaches and begin to think about putting electrical, cable and phone lines underground, which would reduce interruption of those utilities in future storms.
Building codes also need to be revised so residences and other buildings meet those standards. Trees must be maintained and pruned on a regular basis, and those that are dead or dying must be removed to prevent potential loss of life or injury or destruction to property.
All of these things have one important common denominator: money. The federal government needs to work with state and local governments to insure that there will be adequate funding in order for all of these necessary changes to be made. We must accept the fact that there will be more frequent and violent storms, and we must be prepared to deal with their effects.
John Amato
Fresh Meadows
