Mayor Announces $20 Billion Storm Plan
Yesterday Mayor Bloomberg outlined an ambitious $20 billion plan to protect the waterfront from future storms like Hurricane Sandy. He spoke at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which was flooded with four-and-a-half feet of water during the storm. The Times broke down Bloomberg’s 438-page report on the proposals, which would not be implemented until well after…
Yesterday Mayor Bloomberg outlined an ambitious $20 billion plan to protect the waterfront from future storms like Hurricane Sandy. He spoke at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which was flooded with four-and-a-half feet of water during the storm. The Times broke down Bloomberg’s 438-page report on the proposals, which would not be implemented until well after the mayor leaves office later this year. The plan calls for a system of barriers, permanent levees, dunes, portable flood walls, bulkheads, tide gates, and offshore breakwaters all around New York City. Portable flood walls and offshore breakwaters made of rocks would protect Red Hook. Movable gates would be installed in Gowanus. In the Bay Ridge flats and other shore areas in southern Brooklyn, the city would foster wetlands. Bloomberg emphasized that these changes must be enacted sooner, rather than later — waterfront development is showing no signs of slowing, although sea levels are expected to rise 12 to 29 inches higher by 2050. This $20 billion price tag, a price likely to grow, will come from federal and city money already allocated, aid from Congress, and an additional $5 billion from the City itself. Do you think this is a wise way to spend taxpayer money? And will it work?
Bloomberg Outlines $20 Billion Storm Protection Plan [NY Times]
Photo by lazzo51
This sounds like a good and practical plan. Much better than the crazy, pie-in-the-sky floodgate proposals that would skirt the entire NY harbor. Plans like this make you appreciate Mike Bloomberg’s kind of long term thinking. I doubt that any future politicians who will take the Mayor’s place would be willing to stick their necks out to develop a plan like this. People may complain about Bloomberg, but we will miss his practicality, effectiveness and chutzpah, when he’s gone.
I have no doubt that once Bloomberg is gone and the traditional (short-term thinking) pols return, this type of long-term investment strategy will wither and die
Considering the tens of billions Hurricane Sandy *alone* cost NYC, NYS, and the federal government, I’d say a $20 billion plan to shore up the coastline from *all* future hurricanes is a great investment.
Honestly this is just the start, but prevention is almost always better than reaction.