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FEMA Mitigation Team will be at the Loveland Home & Holiday Show

DENVER – FEMA Mitigation specialists will be at the Northern Colorado Home & Holiday Show offering free building advice that will last long past the holidays.

First National Bank Exhibition Hall

5280 Arena Circle

Loveland, CO 80538

This team will be in Loveland, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., MDT, Saturday, Oct. 26 and Sunday, Oct. 27.

Homeowners, renters and business owners can use the suggestions and publications from FEMA’s Mitigation advisers to help protect their properties from severe weather along with common threats such as mold and mildew. Mitigation advice can also serve to protect electrical systems, furnaces and appliances.

The mitigation specialists will have free reference booklets in English and Spanish, including:

* Preparing Makes Sense, Get Ready Now

* Protecting Your Home from Flood Damage

* Help After a Disaster

* Mold & Mildew: Cleaning Up Your Flood-Damaged Home

Information about strengthening property can found at fema.gov/what-mitigation

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FEMA Mitigation Team will be at the Loveland Home & Holiday Show

Talk to Local Officials Before Rebuilding Your Flood-Damaged Home

DENVER– Before beginning any repair work, property owners should contact their local building officials to find out what permits are required to repair or rebuild.

Some Colorado property owners may find that September’s flood has caused substantial damage to their home or business.

Substantial damage is defined by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as a home or structure that has incurred substantial damage, is located in a special flood hazard area and the total cost of repairs is 50 percent or more of the structure’s pre-event market value.

Local building officials make the determination that substantial damage has occurred.

When local officials determine a building is located in a special flood hazard area and has substantial damage, the structure must be brought into compliance under the community’s current building ordinances and regulations.

For more information on general flood insurance, contact your local floodplain administrator, the National Flood Insurance Program at 800-427-4661 or your local insurance agent. Information also is available at www.fema.gov and floodsmart.gov.

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Talk to Local Officials Before Rebuilding Your Flood-Damaged Home

SBA’s Colorado Disaster Loans Pass $42 million

DENVER – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has now approved more than $42 million in disaster loans to Colorado homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, nonprofit organizations.

Approved loan totals in some of the most impacted areas are currently over $27 million in Boulder County, $4.9 million in Larimer County and $6 million in Weld County.

The more than $42 million approved so far to survivors with losses from Colorado storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides breaks down this way:

$37.5 million in loans to repair and rebuild homes
$4.8 million in business and economic injury loans

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are available to small businesses having difficulty meeting obligations as a result of the September severe weather and floods, as well as private nonprofits, even if property was not physically damaged.

Deferred Disaster Loan Payments

The first payment for a disaster loan is due on the fifth month from the date of the loan closing.

The deadline to apply for a SBA disaster loan is November 14, 2013 for physical damage and June 16, 2014 for Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

A simple and fast way to complete the application is online, using the SBA’s electronic loan application. Go to DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA.

SBA customer service representatives are available to answer questions, explain the application process, help individuals and businesses apply for a low-interest disaster loan and close their approved disaster loans at all Colorado/FEMA disaster recovery centers and SBA business recovery centers and Disaster Loan Outreach Centers. To locate the nearest center & hours, visit sba.gov/disaster or call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

Register with FEMA by phone, 800-621-3362, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MDT, seven days a week. Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

To find the nearest disaster recovery center, check out the DRC locator at FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers. Register online: DisasterAssistance.gov or by Web-enabled device, tablet or smartphone: type m.fema.gov in the browser.

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SBA’s Colorado Disaster Loans Pass $42 million

One Year Later: Mitigation Makes Communities Safer

LINCROFT, N.J. — Emergency response. Debris removal. Reconstruction and repair. Rental assistance. Low-cost disaster loans. These activities and terms have become familiar to many New Jerseyans since Superstorm Sandy struck last year. But another activity is going full force with the purpose of protecting life and property from future disasters – hazard mitigation.

Sea Bright, N.J., Feb. 20, 2013 — Homeowners stand and watch their home being elevated. This family has started the rebuilding process after being forced out of their home by Hurricane Sandy. Rosanna Arias/FEMAHazard mitigation is the only phase of emergency management specifically dedicated to breaking the cycle of damage, reconstruction and repeated damage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides assistance to state and local governments after a major disaster declaration to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during disaster recovery.

“Hazard Mitigation grants help make communities safer,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer in New Jersey, Gracia Szczech. “Mitigation programs also help reduce the financial impact of disasters on the state and on the county.”

Eligible applicants for HMGP grants are states, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations. Individual homeowners and businesses may not apply directly to the program, but local governments may apply on their behalf.

These grants can be used to fund projects that protect public or private property if the project fits within state and local mitigation plans. Projects eligible for HMGP funds include retrofitting buildings to minimize damage from high winds and flooding; elevation of flood-prone buildings; minor flood-control projects; and the purchase of property at risk of repetitive flooding for conversion to open space. The state works with local communities to determine the focus of the Hazard Mitigation program.

FEMA has obligated $340.7 million in Hazard Mitigation grants after Sandy for New Jersey’s mitigation measures, which include:

$100 million for the acquisition of structures in flood-prone areas to be cleared and converted to permanent greenspace;
$100 million for elevation of buildings in flood-prone areas; and $3.8 million for county mitigation plans

Sea Bright, N.J., Feb. 20, 2013 — Construction worker carries wood for cribbing used in the elevation of a Sea Bright home as part of mitigation. Homeowners have just begun rebuilding and expect their home to be ready by summer. Rosanna Arias/FEMAThe state is applying the remaining grant money for mitigation measures being incorporated into eligible rebuilding projects of state and local agencies, and certain private nonprofit organizations, such as hospitals and universities.

Five issues are considered when determining the eligibility of a proposed project:

Does the project conform to the state’s hazard mitigation plan?
Does the project provide a beneficial impact on the disaster area?
Does the application meet the environmental requirements?
Does the project solve a problem independently?
Is the project cost effective?

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding is made available at the request of a state’s governor following the declaration of a major disaster. The grant funds available for mitigation equal 15 percent of the amount FEMA spends to assist disaster survivors and communities in the recovery process. Under

HMGP, federal funds pay for 75 percent of the project cost with 25 percent coming from non-federal sources. All programs require an up-to-date Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Video-links: Sea Bright Mitigation

Next week the One Year Later releases will feature examples of a business owner and a homeowner who applied mitigation techniques to their property at their own cost, which, in the aftermath of Sandy, proved to be a sound investment.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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One Year Later: Mitigation Makes Communities Safer

A Year After Hurricane Sandy, FEMA Individual Assistance Tops $1 Billion In New York

NEW YORK – When Hurricane Sandy made landfall a year ago on Oct. 29, the unprecedented storm surge and strong winds devastated tens of thousands of New Yorkers.

Amid widespread power outages and storm debris, New York survivors began asking where and how to begin putting their lives back together.

In anticipation of Sandy’s impact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency deployed nearly 300 people to New York in advance of the hurricane to begin coordinating assistance for survivors. Within 48 hours of Sandy’s landfall, the figure swelled to 1,200. Eventually more than 4,000 workers were part of the federal response team.

Also within 48 hours, the first FEMA grants for New York individuals and households, totaling $1.7 million, were approved to help eligible survivors with home repairs, temporary rental costs and other uninsured hurricane-related expenses.

One year later, more than $1 billion has been approved for New Yorkers through FEMA’s Individuals and Households program to help them rebuild their lives. This is part of a total of more than $8.3 billion in disaster assistance that also includes more than $1.5 billion in low-interest U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans, more than $3.7 billion in flood insurance claim payments and more than $2.1 billion for debris removal, repair or replacement of public facilities and reimbursement for emergency expenses.

FEMA, in coordination with its local, state, federal, tribal, private sector, voluntary and faith-based partners, has been working nonstop with New York survivors to help them rebuild their lives. During the past year, more than 117,500 individuals and households in New York’s 13 designated counties were approved for assistance.

In the months after Hurricane Sandy, FEMA dispatched nearly 1,200 community relations specialists to devastated neighborhoods to determine survivors’ individual needs, and to help them navigate the FEMA application process and access other services.

More than 500 national, state and local voluntary and faith-based organizations helped people in need. They coordinated donations, volunteer management, home repair, child care, counseling services and removal of muck and mold from homes.

FEMA opened 65 disaster recovery centers, many of them located in hard-hit areas, where survivors received face-to-face help. There were more than 183,000 visits to the centers.

With thousands of New Yorkers displaced in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, FEMA worked with the state and city of New York to implement innovative programs to respond to the unique challenges posed by the shortage of rental housing in a densely populated, vertically built and linguistically diverse region.

Thanks to the Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power program that was coordinated by local governments and funded by FEMA, more than 21,000 families were able to remain in their storm-damaged homes while repairs were made.

In addition, FEMA temporarily housed nearly 6,000 individuals and families in hotels and motels through its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program.

To ensure everyone received information, FEMA provided materials in 26 languages.

A year after the storm, all housing inspections – more than 185,000 – have been completed. Today more than 160 New Yorkers hired by FEMA to assist in recovery operations continue to help their communities rebuild from Sandy.

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A Year After Hurricane Sandy, FEMA Individual Assistance Tops $1 Billion In New York

A Year After Hurricane Sandy, More Than $2.1 Billion In FEMA Public Assistance Grants In New York Helps Clear Debris, Reopen Public Facilities

NEW YORK – More than $2.1 billion in federal aid has been approved to reimburse state, local and tribal governments for Sandy-related response and recovery efforts in New York one year after the devastating storm.

Public Assistance grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburse local, state and tribal governments and eligible private nonprofits for eligible costs of emergency response, debris removal and repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities. In New York, more than 2,700 grants have been approved so far.

FEMA’s cost-share Public Assistance program reimburses 90 percent of eligible costs. The remaining 10 percent comes from nonfederal funds. The state forwards the federal reimbursement to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs.

The largest single Public Assistance project to date is nearly $402 million to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for the Rapid Repairs program that allowed survivors to remain in their storm-damaged homes while repairs were made. The work also included infrastructure repairs at the Rockaway, North River and other wastewater treatment plants, pump stations, drinking water facilities and sewers.

Other major Public Assistance obligations include:

Nearly $325 million to the Long Island Power Authority for repairs to overhead lines and emergency work;

Nearly $180 million to New York University Langone Medical Center for emergency work, including the evacuation of more than 250 patients, the restoration of critical services and facilities, the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials and wastewater, debris and mold, repairs, and replacement of its information technology network.
$130 million to the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation for emergency work, cleanup, temporary relocation, repairs and replacement of contents at various HHC facilities, including Coney Island Hospital;

Nearly $128 million to the New York City Police Department for evacuations, search-and-rescue operations, distribution of critical equipment, door-to-door checks, the removal of fallen trees, traffic regulation and monitoring of fuel rationing during the gas shortage caused by Sandy;

More than $119 million to the New York City Department of Sanitation for debris removal;

Nearly $115 million to Nassau County for debris removal throughout the county;

Nearly $58 million to the state of New York Department of Transportation for debris removal;

More than $31 million to Long Beach for emergency work and repairs to waste water pump stations and fire hydrants;

More than $31 million to the town of Hempstead for debris removal and emergency work;

More than $13 million to the New York City Fire Department for coordinating more than 500 swift-water boat rescues, conducting more than 1,000 evacuations, extinguishing fires, searching 3,100 homes and businesses during Hurricane Sandy’s immediate aftermath, and temporary generators for Manhattan fire stations;

Nearly $7 million to Long Beach Public Schools for emergency protective measures and repairs at school and administrative facilities;

More than $2.1 million to Long Beach Memorial Nursing Home for emergency protective measures, demolition, cleanup and flood-related repairs.

To learn more about FEMA Public Assistance in New York, visit: fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit and dhses.ny.gov/oem/recovery.

For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/sandyny, twitter.com/FEMASandy, facebook.com/FEMASandy and fema.gov/blog.

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A Year After Hurricane Sandy, More Than $2.1 Billion In FEMA Public Assistance Grants In New York Helps Clear Debris, Reopen Public Facilities

A Year After Hurricane Sandy: New York Recovery By The Numbers

Oct. 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy strikes with a storm surge weather experts in New York had never seen before.

The first 48 hours

1,200 FEMA specialists on the ground in New York
Five mobile disaster recovery centers open
350 ambulances deployed from around the country to New York
11 disaster medical assistance teams and U.S. Public Health Service officers arrive
Oct. 31, 2012, the first FEMA Individual Assistance grants approved for $1.7 million
U.S. Department of Transportation authorizes $10 million for repairs to roads, bridges and tunnels

Response milestones at one year (as of Oct. 15)

More than $8.3 billion in total federal assistance approved for Individual Assistance grants, SBA low-interest disaster loans, National Flood Insurance Program payments and Public Assistance grants.

Individual Assistance

More than $1 billion approved for individuals and households including:
- More than $857 million for housing assistance
- More than $145 million for other needs, including clothing, household items, disaster-related damage to a vehicle, and disaster-related medical and dental expenses
272,045 contacted FEMA for help or information
185,208 housing inspections completed
65 disaster recovery centers opened
183,145 visits to disaster recovery centers
5,944 individuals and families housed temporarily in hotel rooms under the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program
5,592 survivors received disaster unemployment assistance

U.S. Small Business Administration

More than $1.5 billion in SBA low-interest disaster loans approved for homeowners, renters and businesses

National Flood Insurance Program

More than $3.7 billion in flood insurance payments made to policyholders

Public Assistance

More than $2.1 billion approved in FEMA Public Assistance grants to communities and some nonprofit organizations that serve the public
2,712 projects approved so far
More than 21,000 families were able to remain in their homes while repairs were made because of the Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power and the New York City Rapid Repairs programs

A whole community response

500 voluntary agencies involved in recovery
More than 3.2 million meals and 2.4 million liters of water distributed
26 languages used to communicate assistance information to survivors
More than 1 million multilingual fliers distributed
Power restored for 2.1 million New Yorkers
Nearly 6.4 million cubic yards of debris removed
At peak, more than 4,150 deployed to New York by FEMA and other federal agencies
42 federal agencies assisted FEMA during Hurricane Sandy in New York
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers drained 149.7 million gallons of water from the New York City metro area, equivalent to 227 Olympic-sized swimming pools
The Corps supplied 211 generators that produced power equivalent to meeting the requirements for 50,000 single-family homes
Approximately 1.1 million pounds of food provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Defense Logistics Agency delivered 2.3 million gallons of fuel to distribution points in New York and New Jersey
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration assigned navigation response vessels to survey the Port of New York for navigation hazards

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A Year After Hurricane Sandy: New York Recovery By The Numbers

Two Disaster Recovery Centers Transition to Disaster Loan Outreach Centers

DENVER – Colorado’s recovery from severe weather continues with changes at three Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC).

The DRCs in Colorado Springs and Golden will close at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26 and both will transition on Monday, Oct. 28 to Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOC).

DLOCs are operated by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). At each DLOC, SBA representatives will answer questions, explain the application process and help survivors apply for low-interest disaster loans.

Due to reduced numbers of survivors needing disaster assistance, the DRC in Fort Collins will close at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26.

DRCs are operated by the Colorado Office of Emergency Management (COEM) and FEMA in partnership with the SBA, county and local governments.

EL PASO COUNTY

Colorado Springs Fire Training Center

375 Printers Parkway

Colorado Springs, CO 80910

Converting to DLOC on Monday, Oct. 28

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., MDT, Monday through Friday

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Jefferson County Courthouse

100 Jefferson County Parkway

Golden, CO 80401

Converting to DLOC on Monday, Oct. 28

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., MDT, Monday through Friday

LARIMER COUNTY

Foothills Mall

215 East Foothills Parkway

Fort Collins, CO 80525

Closing at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26

At the seven other DRCs, survivors can continue to receive in-person assistance from representatives of FEMA, COEM and the SBA. A variety of specialists are available to explain programs and help survivors apply for disaster aid. Recovery specialists also help disaster survivors get in touch with volunteer and other programs.

To find the DRC closest to you, go to fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers.

Survivors with losses from the storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides will save time by registering for help from FEMA before going to the DRCs.

Register online: DisasterAssistance.gov or by Web-enabled device, tablet or smartphone: type m.fema.gov in the browser.

For individuals who have hearing and visual disabilities or are deaf, Disaster Recovery Centers can provide accommodations such as:

• Captioned telephones, which transcribe spoken words into text
• The booklet “Help After a Disaster” in large print and Braille
• American Sign Language interpreters available upon request
• Magnifiers and assistive listening devices
• 711-Relay or Video Relay Services

For more information on the Colorado disaster operation, visit fema.gov/disaster/4145.

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Two Disaster Recovery Centers Transition to Disaster Loan Outreach Centers

FEMA Corps Members Training in Vermont

WILLISTON, Vt. – A team of young Americans who have volunteered to serve their country during disasters is in Vermont learning more about the science of disaster response and recovery from observing Vermont’s recovery from flooding earlier this year as well as Tropical Storm Irene.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency welcomed a team of FEMA Corps members to the Joint Field Office in Williston for a two-week stint of education, which will be highlighted by actual site visits, as part of their nine-month assignment to FEMA’s Region I office in Boston.

“These young people embody the true spirit of FEMA,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mark Landry, the head of FEMA’s operations in Vermont. “They have volunteered to help their country, and through their service our nation will be better prepared for disasters in the future.”

The seven FEMA Corps members – who range in age from 18 to 24 and hail from seven different states – have met with and gained valuable insights from state and local officials as well as veteran FEMA personnel.

FEMA and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCC) launched FEMA Corps in 2012 to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to and recover from disasters while expanding career opportunities for young people.

FEMA Corps is a new unit of AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) whose members will be devoted solely to FEMA disaster response and recovery efforts. The five-year agreement provides for a full service corps of 1,600 members annually who will be an additional workforce in support of FEMA’s current disaster reservist workforce.

Once trained by FEMA and CNCS, members will provide support in areas ranging from working directly with disaster survivors to supporting disaster recovering centers to sharing valuable disaster preparedness and mitigation information with the public.

FEMA Corps members will serve for a 10 month term with an option to extend for a second year. The program will prepare thousands of young people for careers in emergency management and related fields. During their service, they will gain significant training and experience in disaster services and will provide important support to disaster survivors.

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FEMA Corps Members Training in Vermont

One Year Later: Beaches And Boardwalks: Restoring The Jersey Shore’s Lifelines

LINCROFT, N.J. — Boardwalks are the backbone of many of New Jersey’s shore communities. Often lined with shops, amusements and restaurants, and serving as the main access points to beaches, boardwalks are the magnets that attract tourists to beach towns.

The United States’ first boardwaSeaside Heights, N.J., May 14, 2013 — Demolition of the Jet Star roller coaster in Seaside Heights, NJ was taking less time than anticipated, as debris was placed on a large barge for removal from the ocean. The roller coaster and three other attractions were plunged into the sea from the partially destroyed Casino Pier during Sandy last October. Photo by Sharon Karr/FEMAlk was built in Atlantic City in 1870. The brainchild of rail conductor Alexander Boardman and hotel owner Jacob Keim, its stated purpose was to keep visitors to the resort from tracking sand from the beach back into the hotels and onto the train cars.

For many shore towns affected by Superstorm Sandy, rebuilding the beaches and boardwalks – and rebuilding them by the start of the summer tourist season – became a top priority.

The Federal Emergency Management Authority has obligated $79 million in aid for 84 boardwalk and beach repair projects. Communities up and down the Jersey Shore employed different methods of beach replenishment and protection.

Some municipalities constructed timber bulkheads, large rock walls and/or concrete seawalls. To stabilize their dunes, some placed geotubes (tubes filled with sand and water wrapped in geotextile fabric) and gabions (wire baskets filled with large rocks) underneath the dunes. Geotubes have been used on the north end of Ocean City and along Cape May’s beaches. Gabions were used in the West Atlantic City portion of Little Egg Harbor. Officials in these and other shore communities credited those measures with protecting homes and residents from Sandy. Mantoloking and Brick Township are two communities now considering using geotubes.

Atlantic City’s boardwalk suffered its most severe damage to the section that borders Absecon Inlet, between Oriental and Maine avenues. FEMA obligated $2.5 million to repair and replace the boardwalk, ramps, railings, and lifeguard and comfort stations. A new seawall is also being built along the Absecon Inlet section of the boardwalk. Atlantic City and neighboring Ventnor will receive a combined 2 million cubic yards of sand to replenish the beaches in both communities. Brigantine used 630,000 cubic yards of sand to replenish its beach.

Atlantic City, N.J., Feb. 5, 2013 — The old boardwalk, which was severely damaged by Sandy, has been removed. Photo by Liz Roll/FEMAParts of Long Beach Island had 22-foot-high dunes and a 200-foot berm in front of coastal homes. The Sandy Disaster Relief Act will provide funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete the project on the whole island. Three million cubic yards of sand were dredged and pumped onto the beach. Repairs were also made to the boardwalk, sand fence and access roads at Island Beach State Park. The Corps is also making first-time beach restorations in Ship Bottom, Beach Haven and Long Beach Township, areas not protected by the original dunes and berm on the island.

Belmar’s 1.3-mile boardwalk and everything on it was destroyed by Sandy. Construction started in January and the new boardwalk opened May 22. FEMA covered $7.6 million of the $10 million cost of the project. Belmar is also designing a new $6 million dune system to protect the new boardwalk.

FEMA obligated $1.6 million for the reconstruction of Sea Girt’s boardwalk. Parts of the boardwalk that were damaged will be repaired using salvaged boards and rails. A 2,335-foot section will be rebuilt as the second phase of the project. The municipality is also rebuilding its dunes, which prevented serious damage to homes but took the brunt of the storm surge. The new dunes are expected to be more than 20 feet high.

Sea Girt, N.J., Jan. 16, 2013 — Sandy’s storm surge penetrated the boardwalk systems and there are several missing sections up and down the State’s shorelines. Photo by Adam DuBrowa/FEMASpring Lake’s boardwalk, which had been seriously damaged by Hurricane Irene in 2011, was hit again by Sandy. The storm pushed the boardwalk off its supports, damaged several support piles, and completely washed away the dunes protecting the boardwalk and town. FEMA reimbursed the borough for $4.1 million of the $5.5 million cost of rebuilding the boardwalk. The new boardwalk, made of a composite wood, was completed in April.

Seaside Heights had to take out a $14 million emergency appropriation loan to pay for essential repairs to its boardwalk and other areas after Sandy. Construction on the boardwalk began in mid-February, and a six-block section of the mile-long boardwalk was completed in early May. The main section reopened days before Memorial Day, and the $7.6 million reconstruction was completed in mid-June. Mayor William Akers has also suggested that a seawall may be built, though no decision has been made, and as a new project, it would be ineligible for FEMA funding.

Not all of the boardwalks along the shore have been restored. The older southern portion of the Long Branch boardwalk will not be rebuilt until 2014. “My goal isn’t to get it done quickly, it’s to make sure it is done right,” Mayor Adam Schneider said in December.

FEMA is covering $6.2 million of the $8.2 million cost of various repair projects in Long Branch, including completely rebuilding the southern section and repairing damage to the northern section. While the newer northern section, including Pier Village and the Long Branch Promenade, did not escape Sandy unscathed, Schneider said that section of boardwalk was designed to survive a hurricane, “and it did.”

Video-links: Long Beach Island, NJ Beach Replenishment, Roller Coaster Removed From Ocean,
New Jersey Bird Environment After Sandy

Next, the One Year Later series examines the restoration of the Atlantic Highlands Harbor, a vital link to lower Manhattan.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Originally from –

One Year Later: Beaches And Boardwalks: Restoring The Jersey Shore’s Lifelines

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