CANCELLED – Army Corps of Engineers meeting in Rockaway Park, Queens: Storm surge barrier study
- When:
- February 27, 2020: 5:00PM to 8:00PM
- Where:
- Auditorium (use main entrance on Beach Channel Drive), Beach Channel Educational Campus 100-00 Beach Channel Drive Rockaway Park, NY 11694 map
THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New York District, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will host a public meeting on the New York New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries (NYNJHAT) Study on February 27 in Rockaway Park, Queens.
In response to Superstorm Sandy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received a mandate to study coastal storm surge – the above-normal, temporary rise of sea level produced by a coastal storm. The Corps is considering six different plans involving massive in-water barriers and/or land-based floodwalls, dunes and levees intended to “manage the risk of coastal storm damage” to New York Harbor and the Hudson Valley.
However, the mandate failed to include a requirement to look comprehensively at both storm surge and sea level rise. Comprehensive solutions are needed to address flooding from both storm surge and sea level rise, and protect the Hudson River from permanent harm. The study fails to consider potentially catastrophic effects that giant storm surge barriers could have on the ecology of New York Harbor and the Hudson River.
At the meeting, the Corps will update the public on tasks underway since release of an Interim Report in February 2019. One key task is the development of new preliminary data from Corps’ hydrodynamic modeling, which identifies possible induced flooding extents, including the Rockaway area, and consideration of measures to minimize, avoid or mitigate any and all induced flooding that may result from the conceptual alternatives.
Agenda
Welcome: 5 p.m.
Initial Presentation: 5:30 – 6 p.m.
Questions and Discussion: 6 – 7 p.m.
Presentation Recap: 7 – 7:15 p.m.
Further Questions and Discussion: 7:15 – 8 p.m.
Transit Access
Trains: A Line, S Line to Beach 98th Street – Playland station
Buses: Q53-SBS to Rockaway Beach Blvd/Beach 102 St
Ferry: NYC Ferry stops at Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive
Parking: The Beach Channel Education Campus offers complimentary parking for meeting attendees (up to lot capacity).
Rain/snow date
Thursday, March 05, 2020. In case of postponement due to a forecast of inclement weather, an e-mail announcement will be made by 4pm on Wednesday February 26, and information will be posted on the project website.
Learn more
Visit Riverkeeper’s Storm Surge Barriers campaign page, Riverkeeper.org/barriers.
