The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, is carrying out missions to support recovery efforts in the New York City region following Hurricane Sandy, including in New York City, parts of northern New Jersey and Long Island.
New York District’s Emergency Operations Center has been active since last week and District personnel are working with local, state and federal officials to assess the damages caused by Sandy, which brought a great deal of coastal flooding and other damage throughout the region.
“Hurricane Sandy was a historic storm and brought coastal storm surge and flooding like has never been seen in many areas and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone that’s been impacted,” said New York District Commander Col. Paul E. Owen . “ The Army Corps is committed to working with our local, state and federal partners as the recovery process moves forward.”
An Army Corps team of unwatering experts has been deployed from the Corps’ Rock Island District in Illinois to New York City to provide technical support as the city and the Metropolitan Transit Authority determine the best way forward in the complex task of unwatering parts of lower Manhattan and the New York City subway system. They are providing support to local and state unwatering efforts.
Army Corps personnel have begun post-storm assessments as they are able to where it is feasible and safe, with assessments slated for along New York City’s coastline as well as coastal areas in Long Island and in northern New Jersey.
New York District will work with the U.S. Coast Guard to help restore safe navigation to the New York and New Jersey Harbor as soon as feasible, including supporting any requests from the Coast Guard for hydrographic surveys of federal navigation channels that may have been impacted or altered during the storm. New York District’s fleet of drift collection vessels will be clearing storm debris from the waters in and around the New York and New Jersey Harbor that could potentially be hazards to navigation. The Harbor is the busiest on the east coast and is an important economic engine for the nation.
On top of those missions, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is prepared to carry out any additional missions in support of FEMA and has specially trained Planning and Response Teams at the ready should they be called upon to carry out public works and engineering missions.
[mappress]
Press Release, October 31, 2012