On February 19, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he is pushing to secure $36 million in federal funding to construct a series of off-shore breakwaters and a living shoreline along the coast of Conference House Park that will reduce the risk of damage to homes and infrastructure along the South Shore of Staten Island during major coastal storms like Superstorm Sandy. The funding for this project would come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), a program funded by the Sandy bill that provides funds not just to rebuild infrastructure in the aftermath of a disaster, but to build back in a way that will prevent similar damage in the future.
Borough President James Oddo stood by Sen. Schumer during the announcement, committed to helping rebuild the South Shore – and all parts of Staten Island damaged during the storm and to preventing anything like that from ever happening again. “Parts of Staten Island are still reeling from the damage of Hurricane Sandy,” said Oddo. “While we continue to help these families rebuild, it’s imperative that we also take measures to prevent any future damage and devastation. Off-shore breakwaters would go a long way in protecting Tottenville in the future.”
Borough President James Oddo stood by Sen. Schumer during the announcement, committed to helping rebuild the South Shore – and all parts of Staten Island damaged during the storm and to preventing anything like that from ever happening again. “Parts of Staten Island are still reeling from the damage of Hurricane Sandy,” said Oddo. “While we continue to help these families rebuild, it’s imperative that we also take measures to prevent any future damage and devastation. Off-shore breakwaters would go a long way in protecting Tottenville in the future.”
