Senator Fuschillo Calls on Army Corps of Engineers to Extend Proposed Home Elevation Program to Nassau Homeowners

Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) today called on the US Army Corps of Engineers to extend the same proposed storm mitigation measures proposed for Suffolk County communities under the FIMP plan, including elevating homes and infrastructure in flood prone areas, to Nassau County as well.

A copy of Senator Fuschillo's letter to the Army Corps of Engineers is attached below.

                                             September 3, 2013

Lieutenant General Thomas Bostick

Commanding General and Chief of Engineers

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

441 G Street NW

Washington, DC 20314-1000

Dear Lieutenant General Bostick: 

     I am writing regarding the Army Corps of Engineers’ proposed Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMP) project, which would involve the elevating of homes and infrastructure in flood prone areas of Suffolk County, New York.

     This plan will be extremely beneficial to the residents of Suffolk County. However, homeowners in neighboring Nassau County, who suffered the same type of devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy, are not included in this plan and would not receive any of these benefits. That is unacceptable.

     Long Island’s south shore communities were heavily damaged during Tropical Storm Irene and devastated by Superstorm Sandy. Nearly one year after Superstorm Sandy, these areas are still trying to rebuild and there are some residents who are unable to return to their homes. These two massive storms highlighted the need for new mitigation initiatives to protect homeowners, businesses, and infrastructure from future storms. This includes elevating homes and critical infrastructure in flood prone areas.

     While the Army Corps of Engineers is undertaking projects to protect coastal areas of Nassau County, such as dredging and sand replacement along areas of the South Shore, it is not considering the type of measures to protect Nassau County’s homeowners and infrastructure that it is for Suffolk County under FIMP.

     Nassau County and Suffolk County both face the same risks and challenges in protecting themselves from future storms. Extending certain protections only to Suffolk homeowners while leaving Nassau residents out entirely is both unfair and illogical. I call on the Army Corps of Engineers to extend the same proposed mitigation measures in FIMP to Nassau homeowners as well.

                                         Sincerely,

                              CHARLES J. FUSCHILLO, JR.

                              New York State Senator

Cc: Colonel Paul Owen, New York District, Army Corps of Engineers

Secretary Shaun Donovan, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo