Letter to the Hon. Todd Semonite, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Schumer reveals: Critical effort to protect Nassau's back bay communities from future hurricanes & storms could simply cease unless Feds act; senator urges Army Corps to finish back bays work now---while there's still time

Letter

Dear Lt. General Semonite:

I write to request that you immediately approve an extension for the Nassau County Back Bays Study, a critical study in the ongoing effort to protect the western back bays of Nassau County from future storm surge events. I also ask that you approve an additional $6.1 million in funding authorized by Public Law 115-123, containing supplemental Sandy funding so that USACE is able to finish this vital study.

Superstorm Sandy devastated many of Long Island's coastal communities and in the wake of the storm, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) identified Nassau County's Back Bays as a vulnerable area along the Atlantic coast in need of protection from flood risks. Extending the deadline and providing additional funding for the Nassau County Back Bay Study will allow USACE to thoroughly examine the past, present, and future threats facing the community and provide robust solutions to address future flooding threats in the Bayfront.

The western back bays of Nassau County have historically endured numerous flooding events and will benefit from this comprehensive study that will recommend various options for building future resiliency. During Superstorm Sandy, Five Towns were extensively flooded along the Bayfront area; furthermore, on the Long Beach barrier island, ocean water met the bay. Accordingly, when USACE completed a comprehensive study of vulnerable coastal populations affected by Superstorm Sandy, they identified the western Back Bay communities as one of nine vulnerable focus areas that needed to be protected from flood risks.

The ongoing Nassau County Back Bay study is in need of an extension due to the size and complexity of the study area. It is examining in detail the flooding that occurred during Superstorm Sandy and testing various solutions to determine how to reduce the risk of future flooding, erosion, storm surges, and severe winds. I was pleased to secure the funding for the study in 2015 and 2016, and I fought for more supplemental Sandy relief funding in 2018. These communities are still feeling the effects of Sandy and remain vulnerable to future severe flooding events which is why an extension must be granted and further funding secured to continue the ongoing investigation and analysis.

I am thankful for the Army Corps' attention and commitment to providing a thorough analysis for the Nassau County Back Bays Study and again, I urge you to approve an extension of the study and provide an additional $6.1 million in funding.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff.

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