John Cori of Friends of Rockaway Beach shows how erosion has plagued sections of the shoreline. The group has urged city officials to fund beach replenishment projects and lobbied federal officials to complete a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study that would help determine more permanent solutions. (John Taggart For New York Daily News)
Queens
Sand-starved sections of Rockaway Beach, battered by erosion and Hurricane Irene, could be replenished later this year, according to the city Parks Department.
The Bloomberg administration made a last-minute $3 million allocation to the agency’s budget to pay for the project, according to the NY Daily News.
The money will be used to transfer sand dredged from the East Rockaway Inlet by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“Making the two projects synchronize will be a challenge,” said Bill Tai, principal environmental planner at the Parks Department. “We will work with the Army Corps to move the sand where we think it’s needed most, roughly between Beach 85th St. and Beach 105th St. centered around Beach 92nd St.”
That news was hailed by beach advocates who embarked on an aggressive “Demand the Sand” campaign to get the attention of city and local officials.
“Friends of Rockaway Beach is excited about the news,” the group said in a statement.
“We are aware this is a temporary fix to our erosion issues and look forward to the conclusion of the 2004 Rockaway Reformulation Study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to find a permanent solution to the dangers of erosion.”
Tai said the city is also hoping additional funds are found to jump-start the federal study, which will help determine whether additional jetties or other structures are needed to fend off the endless cycle of erosion.
City Councilman Eric Ulrich credited Friends of Rockaway Beach and other residents for keeping the pressure on agency and city officials.
And he pointed out the sand is not just a recreational issue in Rockaway. It’s a safety concern.
“The Rockaway beaches were in desperate need of replenishment,” said Ulrich (R-Ozone Park).
“Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc in Rockaway. It left people and property at risk.”
On some parts of the peninsula, the sand and the boardwalk are the only barriers between homes and raging waters during storms.
Tai said there is no set timeframe for the project, but it could start as early as the fall.
Once the sand is dredged from the East Rockaway Inlet, it could be moved by ship or piped to the western beaches.
“We would like to make this happen as soon as possible,” he said. “We are hoping to get between 100,000 and 150,000 cubic yards of sand.”
If more sand is available, it will be used to fill beaches in Far Rockaway in the area of Beach 20th St. and Beach 30th St.
Read More:
spend $3 million to add sand to sections of Rockaway Beach
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