Post-Sandy calls to lower risks along the coasts are one thing; implementing them is always something else. Today’s New York Times includes a good article illustrating the difficulties of moving people away from exposed coasts or enforcing new building rules. Reporters visited Breezy Point in Queens, an area hit hard by the hurricane, as well as several other spots along the New York and New Jersey coast. Just about two months after the storm, they wanted to get an idea of what residents were doing. Were they rebuilding pretty much what they’d had before? Were they rebuilding on pilings? Were they leaving?
The reporters found some of each, but many seem determined to rebuild, on pilings if they could afford it, or simply some version of what they had before. Meanwhile, state and local officials are considering new flood maps, stricter building codes, and revised land-use rules that, in some cases, could turn former beach front neighborhoods into parks.
The two activities -- the rebuilding and the building and land-use changes -- are proceeding at two different speeds; the first quickly and the second not so. It will surely get complicated when they meet. Why do I suspect the next storm will find nearly as many vulnerable structures in its path?
No comments:
Post a Comment