Schumer to push for Fire Island breach to be closed
Originally published: November 19, 2012 9:01 AM
Updated: November 19, 2012 9:23 AM
By emily.dooley@newsday.com
Photo credit: DEC | Breaches at the Moriches Inlet and Smith Point County Park. (Nov. 3, 2012)
During a Monday morning news conference in Patchogue, Sen.Charles E. Schumer plans to push the National Park Service to close a breach in a Fire Island National Seashore wilderness area that was caused when superstorm Sandy roared ashore Oct. 29.
The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to begin closing two breaches at Smith Point County Park and Cupsogue County Park inSuffolk County Monday.
The National Park Service is currently assessing whether to close the park breach, which is south of Bellport.
Fire Island is a barrier beach and keeps ocean tides from pouring into Great South Bay.
Schumer has said allowing the third breach to stay open will put South shore communities at risk of more flooding. With equipment in the area closing the other breaches, Schumer believes the time is right.
In a news release Friday announcing the closure of the other two breaches, state Department of Environmental ConservationCommissioner Joe Martens said: "A barrier island breach can result in higher tides and storm surges for bay-side communities which expose them to increased flood hazard through the winter storm season."
3 comments:
Typical Chuck Schumer. Whenever something happens, you can expect a reactionary and uninformed response. The aquaculture of the Great South Bay has been suppressed by man made activity for so long. Let nature take its course. I thought Schumer was the type of person who believes in teaching evolution and protecting the environment. I guess that only applies for trendy headlines like global warming.
The tides have not changed....look at what the experts have shown. Leave the breach alone!
December 22, 2012 4:23 PM I just returned from my house which was flooded under 10 inches of water by Hurricane Sandy. There was a normal rainstorm last night, but my street (Astor Ave.) is now under about 5 to 6 inches of water, all but unnavigable by car. The house is being renovated, but what's the point if we're just going to continue having flooding? This never happened before, and it seems that Sen. Schumer was right. Just because something is "natural" doesn't mean it isn't destructive.For all of us near the water, CLOST THE BREACH.
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