U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer yesterday launched his effort to ensure that the federal government does not leave out North Shore Long Island communities, like North Hempstead, in funding Sandy rebuilding and resiliency efforts.
The Town of North Hempstead has a number of critical recovery projects in the works, including rebuilding the town dock in Port Washington, repairing a number of critical bulkheads and seawalls, and completing sand removal, that have yet to be funded over 18 months after the storm.
Specifically, Schumer called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to prioritize and expedite consideration of several major projects throughout the Town of North Hempstead that will help protect Nassau County’s North Shore communities in the event of a future storm.
Schumer said that many projects along the South Shore have been the focus of post-Sandy efforts and while those are critically important, hard-hit communities like the Town of North Hempstead cannot be forgotten. Schumer pointed to specific projects along Long Island Sound bays that the feds should swiftly support.
“ More than a year and a half after Sandy, we must not forget the North Shore when it comes to rebuilding and resiliency for the next storm, and that’s why I am calling on two key federal agencies to prioritize a number of major shoreline projects in the Town of North Hempstead ,” said Schumer. “Sandy showed no mercy to either shore of Long Island, and while the South Shore’s recovery has been critical, it’s also clear that the Town of North Hempstead is desperately in need of federal funding to make repairs and infrastructure upgrades to the Town Dock, to protective seawalls and bulkheads and for other mitigation projects along the Long Island Sound bays. We must make sure that these popular downtown waterfront areas are rebuilt stronger than before, so that residents are protected from future storms, tourists and visitors keep flocking in, and our businesses thrive long into the future.”
Judi Bosworth, the Town of North Hempstead Supervisor, said: “ The residents of the Town of North Hempstead have proven to be resilient following Superstorm Sandy, but we must ensure that our shoreline is as well. I am so appreciative that Senator Schumer has prioritized some of our critical rebuilding projects on the North Shore. The completion of these projects will help to safeguard our communities from future events and will bring an economic boost to local businesses and tourism.”
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Press Release, April 17, 2014