Posted on December 14, 2017
By Gabriel Rom, lohud
A group of federal lawmakers is asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to speed up the review process of Mamaroneck’s $80 million flood mitigation plan.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, and Rep. Eliot Engel, D-Bronx, issued a joint letter last week to the Army Corps, requesting the federal agency approve a plan to dramatically reconfigure the Mamaroneck and Sheldrake rivers.
The village’s most recent flooding happened in 2007, when surging waters as high as eight feet damaged over 300 residential and 100 commercial buildings throughout the village.
“The Village Of Mamaroneck has suffered enough loss, and it is unacceptable to wait any longer to take action,” Gillibrand said.
The plan, decades in the making, received approval from an Army Corps advisory group in April. Since then, it has awaited final review from Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. General Todd Semonite before it can move to the Congressional authorization and funding phases.
Former Village Manager Richard Slingerland expected the project to be fully approved by the summer of 2017, he said in a 2016 interview with the Journal News.
But it has stalled in Washington, sitting on Semonite’s desk for more than seven months.
“Now it’s time for the Army Corps to approve the final Chief’s Report to enable this project to move forward.,” Engel said. “This plan is technically feasible, environmentally appropriate, economically justified, and absolutely necessary.”
The plan calls for the Sheldrake and Mamaroneck rivers to be widened, deepened and lengthened. At least four bridges in the village would either be removed or replaced in addition to the construction of new retaining walls along the banks of the waterways. The plan is estimated to reduce average annual damages by approximately 87 percent and meant to reduce the risk of loss of life.
Village Mayor Thomas Murphy applauded the show of support from lawmakers.
“This is a priority to protect the lives and property of the residents of the village of Mamaroneck,” Murphy said. “Hopefully we can work together to expedite this plan that protects our community.”
Should the plan be finalized, 65 percent of the project’s cost would be funded through federal dollars, with the remaining 35 percent coming from the state, Westchester County and the village.
Source: lohud
