SCHUMER, RICE ANNOUNCE LONG BEACH DUNE PROJECT ADVANCES; $37 MILLION CONTRACT INCLUDES GROIN REHABILITATION & NEW GROINS ALONG WATERFRONT
Schumer Secured Funds to Complete Long Beach Protection Project—Between East Rockaway Inlet & Jones Inlet—Seven Miles of Shoreline
A Contract for Phase 1 of Project Has Officially Been Awarded; Construction of Long Beach Dune Project Will Ensure Community is Not Left Vulnerable in Event of Future Storm
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice today announced that a contract has been awarded for phase one of the Long Beach Island Dune Project. The $37,595,900 contract was awarded to H&L Contracting and consists of groin rehabilitation and construction of new groins. Schumer and Rice say this news ensures shovels will soon be in the ground.
“Long Beach is officially well on its way towards a more resilient waterfront and a more hardened shoreline between East Rockaway Inlet and Jones Inlet. Now that a contract has been awarded, shovels will soon be in the ground and Long Beach homeowners and businesses will soon be better protected in the event of another storm,” said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer
“The Long Beach dune rehabilitation and protection project is a priority for our district, and this contract is a major first step toward building a stronger, more resilient shoreline that will better protect coastal communities like Long Beach when the next storm hits,” said Representative Kathleen Rice. “I thank Senator Schumer for his leadership on this issue, and I look forward to seeing the work start soon.”
"Ensuring the strength and resiliency of New York’s coasts is a crucial step to building back stronger after Hurricane Sandy and to preparing Long Island for future storms. The Long Beach Dune Project is an important investment that will help protect the safety of Long Beach residents as well as the integrity of the infrastructure that they rely on. I am pleased to see progress in moving this critical project forward, and will continue to work with Senator Schumer to strengthen New York’s coastal communities,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano stated, “As a barrier island, Long Beach homeowners and businesses are highly susceptible to storm damage. I thank Senator Schumer for his efforts in securing Federal funding for the Long Beach Dune Project as it will strengthen our shoreline and better protect the Long Beach community from future storms.”
"This contract award is the result of outstanding teamwork and cooperation on all levels of government to increase resiliency and reduce risk from storm damage on Long Island’s south shore in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy," said Col. David Caldwell, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District. "Construction will require some short-term patience and understanding from the public as we work to put these long-term risk mitigation and resiliency measures in place for this important coastal storm risk management project."
Following passage of the Sandy Relief Bill, Schumer worked hard to secure full federal funding for this project. The Sandy relief bill that was signed into law required only that the feds pick up 65% of the project cost, but that amount could be increased if the projects met the criteria of “on-going construction” and are updated to make them stronger, more resilient, and offer better protection against storms. Immediately after the bill’s passage, Schumer began working with the Army Corps of Engineers and Office of Management and Budget to lay out a strategic pathway for this project, and others, to be considered as “ongoing construction” and modified to adapt to the changing climate and therefore eligible for full federal funding. The Federal Government is paying 100 percent of the cost of initial construction of the project using Sandy relief funds and 65 percent of the future renourishment costs subject to additional appropriations. The estimated cost of the initial construction of the project is $230 million.
In 2013, Schumer met with community leaders and local officials at Point Lookout and pushed OMB and the Army Corps to begin construction and planning of the barrier island protection project immediately so the affected communities are not left vulnerable to future storms. The Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach passed resolutions in support of the project. Details about the project proposal have been released and point to a dune of approximately 16 feet above sea level across the length of Long Beach’s shoreline. The proposal also includes raising the island’s beach by five feet.
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