New York Investing Millions In Long Island Storm Projects

In its continuing efforts to safeguard Long Island from future storms like Hurricane Sandy, New York State announced on Thursday that it was investing more than $20 million in projects on the Island to help flood-prone areas prepare for extreme weather.

The funding, which is part of more than $41.1 million in NY Rising Community Reconstruction projects slated to get underway across the state this fall, will be used to fund eight projects across Long Island. Some of the projects are already underway, while others are scheduled to begin soon.

"In the face of increasingly destructive weather, it's critical that we continue to protect New Yorkers by rebuilding and hardening our communities and infrastructure," Governor Andrew Cuomo said. "Selected by our local partners, these investments will help vulnerable Long Island communities upgrade their infrastructure to withstand whatever Mother Nature throws our way."

The eight projects were identified by NY Rising Community Reconstruction (NYRCR) Planning Committee members as priorities for their neighborhoods. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Sandy, Cuomo established the NYRCR program to include residents and business owners in the recovery and resiliency process, believing that they know where their needs and vulnerabilities lie and can best recommend the projects that will protect their towns and villages and way of life. On Long Island, the NYRCR program has designated more than $100 million to locally directed projects.

The projects announced for Nassau County are:

Freeport Channel Crossing Electrical Improvements, Village of Freeport -- $7,000,000: Freeport Electric, the largest municipal-owned utility on Long Island, serves more than 43,000 people. During Hurricane Sandy, the utility's infrastructure was damaged by untethered vessels and floating debris. The resulting outage disrupted power to 3,700 residential and commercial customers, three flood sirens, two fire houses, two sewer pump stations and two schools. This project will replace a cable beneath the Freeport Channel that carries the power serving one-quarter of village residents. This will make the overall infrastructure less susceptible to damage, protecting residents and businesses from future service disruptions while reducing risk of injury and fire due to downed electric lines. Construction began in late summer.

East Baldwin Road Raising, Town of Hempstead - $2,100,000: Development of the neighborhoods along the canals of East Baldwin began in the 1930s before the establishment of flood zones. In the years since, and especially after Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, the surrounding streets have experienced increased tidal flooding during monthly high tides, causing damage to property and vehicles, and disrupting services such as curbside garbage collection and mail delivery. To alleviate these issues, the project will raise local residential streets and institute a series of drainage improvements to reduce the risk of flooding to transportation infrastructure and houses. Construction began in late summer.

Establishment of an Office of Emergency Management, City of Long Beach - $1,790,000: Aiming to address a fundamental need for the City of Long Beach, this project will establish of an Office of Emergency Management in an existing space in City Hall. This will allow Long Beach to coordinate preparations and responses to hazard events in coordination with the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management. Construction is expected to begin in November.

Permanent Generators for Critical Community Facilities, Town of Oyster Bay - $2,100,000: During the NYRCR Planning process, members of the Massapequa Committee voiced concerns over widespread loss of power during Hurricane Sandy. In response, this project will ensure that emergency shelters, community centers and fire stations have backup power during and after major storm events. At strategically selected sites, permanent generators will be installed. This will allow continuity of emergency operations, as well as mitigate risks to communities by improving access to emergency information and resources. Construction began in September.

Path to the Park/Shoreline Improvements, South Valley Stream - $3,800,000: Since Hurricanes Sandy and Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 and 2012, the community of South Valley Stream has experienced frequent localized flooding. This project will improve and restore the shoreline along a pedestrian greenway known as "The Path," as well as adjacent to Brook Road Park, providing a combination of stream corridor restoration and riverbank stabilization through the introduction of a variety of natural elements, green infrastructure and hardened shorelines. These improvements will collectively help to mitigate future storm damage, reduce flooding and improve the overall resiliency of the area. Construction is expected to begin this month.

The Suffolk County projects are:

Main Firehouse Permanent Generator, Village of Amityville - $522,500: The Main Firehouse Permanent Generator Project will install a permanent emergency generator at the Amityville Fire Department. This will ensure that the department is well-equipped to operate during and after future storm events, even if widespread power outages affect the community. Construction on this project is expected to begin this month.

Greater Bay Shore Generators Resiliency Project, Bay Shore and Brightwaters - $2,660,000: During and after periods of extreme weather, the provision of a reliable and sufficient supply of electricity is critical to a community's ability to recover. This project will install generators at critical community facilities, including the Bay Shore Fire Department Headquarters, Brightwaters Village Hall, the YMCA, and the Town of Islip's 2nd Avenue Highway Yard. By ensuring that backup power is available at a range of facilities and assets, the project will increase the resiliency of the Greater Bay Shore communities. Construction on this project is expected to begin in November.

Rainbow Senior Center Permanent Generator, Lindenhurst - $522,500: During Hurricane Sandy, nearly all of the 1,600 homes south of Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst were swamped with up to five feet of water. Paired with extensive power outages and debris-littered streets, these conditions impeded immediate recovery efforts and made it difficult for residents to reach services or supplies. The installation of a permanent generator at the Rainbow Senior Center in Lindenhurst will provide backup emergency power for the facility, enabling it to operate safely during and after storms, and contribute to the resiliency of the community as a whole. Construction on this project is expected to begin in November.

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