Gov. Andrew Cuomo is helping Breezy Point reap the benefits of millions of dollars in flood protection. File Photo
The federal government is pumping more than $1 million into Breezy Point with hopes of improving its flood protection system.
New York Gov. Cuomo announced the first phase of funding, totaling $1.2 million in federal dollars, to help pay for technical and feasibility analyses in order to take more preventative steps in the flood-prone part of Queens. The federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program will help implement a double dune barrier system along with bayside flood and erosion protection plans in the coming years, Cuomo said.
“Securing approval of this comprehensive plan is a victory for the Breezy Point community,” Cuomo said. “We are continuing to learn from recent storms so we can build a stronger, more resilient New York. This plan will help Breezy Point build back from Sandy and be better protected against the threats of extreme weather moving forward.”
Cuomo teamed up with U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) back in March to call on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to approve their proposal for funding. FEMA uses the HMGP program to help nonprofits and local governments rebuild stronger, more sustainable communities by increasing resiliency, mitigating risk of loss and damage associated with future disasters and reducing hardship.
“It gives me great pleasure to comment on good news in regard to the efforts of the Fifth Congressional District to recover from Superstorm Sandy and to make vulnerable areas of the district more resilient,” Meeks said. “The Federal Emergency Management Agency notified Governor Cuomo that it has approved FEMA Hazard Risk Mitigation funding of $1.2 million for the Breezy Point Cooperative’s proposal to construct a double dune and a Bay-side jetty to help protect the Rockaway Peninsula against storm surges.”
Breezy Point suffered significant damage during Superstorm Sandy. Waves struck from the Atlantic Ocean, while rising waters poured into the community from Jamaica Bay. The storm also damaged electrical power systems, sparking fires that ultimately consumed 135 homes. Overall, approximately 350 homes were lost as a result of Sandy, more than 10 percent of the community’s roughly 2,700 houses. Looking ahead, Breezy Point still stands to benefit from another $56 million or more in design, engineering and construction funds, lawmakers said.
“The city prioritized a Breezy Point coastal protection plan because we know the risks we face, made clear in our comprehensive resiliency plan. Today’s approval is another step toward building stronger, more resilient communities around New York City — so that we’re better prepared next time we need to be,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “From the dune barrier system to other critical flood and erosion protections, this project will provide critical resiliency to the Breezy Point community.”
The proposed dune system will provide sustainable, natural flood and erosion protection utilizing the area’s natural features, officials said. The plan was comprised of an ocean side double dune system and complementary set of bayside flood and erosion protections that are designed to safeguard the community from future storm events.
The dune, officials said, will be designed to withstand the forces associated with a 100‐year flood height as indicated on FEMA’s latest maps and the projected risk of sea level rise – 2.58 feet – at that location over the life of the project. The estimated cost of the double dune system was pegged at $20.6 million.
The measures will be complemented, on the bayside in Breezy Point and Roxbury, by the construction of bay walls and groins, which are proven to combat flood and erosion respectively, Cuomo said. The estimated cost of bayside protection is $37.6 million.
By The Forum staff
