shore - femacontract.com

Three Years after Sandy: Most of New Jersey’s Boardwalks Are Rebuilt

EATONTOWN, N.J. — Hurricane Sandy struck a terrible blow to the Jersey Shore in 2012, Up and down the state’s 127 miles of coastline, boardwalks were driven off their foundations and transformed into pil

A shot of Asbury Park boardwalk in February, 2013.

The City of Asbury Park began rebuilding its boardwalk in February, 2013. Photo by Liz Roll/FEMA

es of rubble. Planks and pavilions were washed out to sea. Bluffs and dunes were eroded. Stairways and benches were ripped off and carried away.

The cost of all that destruction rose into the hundred millions. But over the three years since the storm, most of New Jersey’s seaside towns have entirely rebuilt their boardwalks. In others, work is progressing on boardwalk and dune projects intended to build in resiliency and protect them from a future storm.

This is good news for the state of New Jersey, where tourism represents a key sector of the economy. As anyone who has tried to find a hotel room or a beach house rental at the Jersey Shore can attest, in a time when it’s possible to fly anywhere in the world on vacation, our state remains an enduringly popular destination.

According to a Tourism Economics report generated by VisitNJ.org, in 2014, the tourism industry accounted for nearly 10 percent of total employment in the state, generating more than $36.4 billion in revenues, an amount that represents 6.6 percent of the entire state economy.

Given those numbers, it’s easy to see why rebuilding the boardwalks was a priority for the state.

As a result of the Disaster Declaration issued by President Barack Obama on October 29, 2012, the state was eligible for Federal Disaster Assistance administered by FEMA’s Public Assistance program to assist in meeting the enormous costs involved in rebuilding and recovery in New Jersey.

And because of the catastrophic nature of the disaster, the state was eligible for reimbursement of 90 percent of the costs of public infrastructure projects under FEMA’s Public Assistance program.

As of October, 2015, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had obligated more than $115 million in Federal dollars for boardwalk and beach restoration and associated projects along the New Jersey shore.

Boardwalk reconstruction in most shore towns began just months after the storm, and many of the boardwalks were complete and open for the start of the summer tourism season in 2013.

A shot of the Asbury Park boardwalk in October, 2013.

FEMA provided a grant of $3.6 million for the Asbury Park boardwalk rebuilding project in October, 2013. Photo by Liz Roll/FEMA

Spring Lake used a composite material that is considered to be more durable than wood to rebuild its boardwalk. The borough significantly reduced the cost of the rebuilding project by using local labor and Force Account Labor (i.e. their own workforce) to do the work. The Federal share of the rebuilding project was $4.9 million, significantly reducing the financial impact of the reconstruction on Spring Lake property owners.

Sea Girt used recycled boards for a portion of its boardwalk repairs. Federal funds obligated for that project totaled $1,616,818.

Atlantic City repaired the damaged northern section of its boardwalk with “ipe” (pronounced ee-pay) wood, a Brazilian hardwood said to be as strong as steel. Atlantic City is also upgrading access ramps and adding more lighting along its boardwalk. The Federal share obligated for repairs to the boardwalk and outbuildings in Atlantic City totaled more than $10.5 million. Another $886 thousand in Federally obligated funds is pending.

By March 2015, Long Branch received $21.7 million from FEMA for the repair of a one-mile section of boardwalk and bluffs. The bluffs will serve as the support system for the boardwalk. The damaged boardwalk and infrastructure will be rebuilt with a new concrete foundation, 95,740 cubic yards of additional material, and 11,489 square yards of dune grass. The project is slated for completion in mid-2016.

Belmar reopened its historic, 1875 boardwalk in May 2013 after a $9.2 million reconstruction. The town is also investing in a $6 million dune building project that is intended to protect the boardwalk from future hurricanes.

A shot of the Asbury Park boardwalk in the summer of 2013.

Approximately 66,000 feet of boardwalk was replaced in the City of Asbury Park by the summer of 2013. Photo by Liz Roll/FEMA

In addition to their importance to the economy, boardwalks hold a magical place in the hearts of New Jerseyans young and old, famous and not so famous.

As Pulitzer Prize-winning New Jersey author Junot Diaz put it, “The boardwalk was where all of New Jersey came together, where New Jersey, for better or worse, met itself.”

Strolling the boardwalks, in every season, is one of the great pleasures of the Jersey Shore. Three years after Sandy, they are once again a part of the New Jersey landscape that belongs to each one of us.

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.twitter.com/FEMASandy,www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/fema, www.fema.gov/blog, 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 posted here –

Three Years after Sandy: Most of New Jersey’s Boardwalks Are Rebuilt

One Year Later: Mitigation Technique Applied 30 Years Ago Survived Sandy

LINCROFT, N.J. — The devastation Superstorm Sandy left behind changed the face of many New Jersey communities, perhaps none more so than along the Shore. With individual homes and businesses and even whole communities swept away, many people were left wondering if it’s even possible to live at the Shore.

But also along the Shore are homes that stand like lone sentinels, a testament to mitigation techniques that make structures stronger and safer. Mitigation construction practices such as elevation, berms and use of damage-resistant materials help reduce the risk of future damage. More and more, buildings throughout the country, and along the Shore, are constructed with these techniques.

Mantoloking, N.J., Nov. 5, 2012 — A Mantoloking home appears to be on its own island as Hurricane Sandy isolated it and damaged infrastructure and properties in the surrounding area. Before the storm came ashore last week, this was Route 528. Two new inlets were created as a result of the storm. Photo by Liz Roll/FEMA When Mantoloking resident Ed Wright built his home 30 years ago, he used a classic mitigation technique: elevation. Last October, that decision proved to be a good one. The storm surge from Sandy swept away five neighboring homes and left his standing alone at the end of the Mantoloking Bridge.

Wright had seen photos of debris washing down the street and elected to elevate the home rather than build on a standard foundation. He built it on 35- to 45-foot pilings sunk into the ground and later enclosed the ground level with breakaway walls, which are designed to collapse in flood waters.

Elevation is a tried-and-true mitigation technique. After a major disaster declaration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency makes Hazard Mitigation grants available to the designated state for projects that reduce or eliminate losses from future disasters.

Projects eligible for hazard mitigation grants 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.

Hazard Mitigation grants cover up to 75 percent of approved project costs. State and local governments pay the remaining 25 percent (in-kind donations of labor and materials can contribute toward this share). A project’s potential savings must be more than the cost of implementing the project.

Mantoloking, N.J., Oct. 11, 2013 — A Mantoloking home is completely restored one year after Hurricane Sandy. Through successful mitigation efforts years before, this home survived the floodwaters that destroyed many homes in the surrounding area with minimal damage. While the state sometimes pays for mitigation projects through FEMA grants after a disaster, Wright paid for his home’s elevation as part of the construction cost. It was an investment in the future.

The day after Sandy struck New Jersey, a friend called Wright to tell him his home was the only one standing. When he returned home, he didn’t know what to expect.

“We had no clue,” he said. “It was very emotional to see it standing there all by itself.”

The home experienced minimal damage, losing the furnace, air conditioning unit, washer and dryer, and vehicles.

“We’re very fortunate,” Wright said. “We’re very happy to be here.”

Property owners who are interested in the Hazard Mitigation programs available in New Jersey after Sandy should contact their local emergency management office.

Video-links: Elevation Helps a Home Survive Hurricane Sandy,
What To Do About Mold (in American Sign Language)

Next, the One Year Later series examines the ways in which New Jersey’s private sector got down to business to aid in the recovery process.

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.

Link to article:

One Year Later: Mitigation Technique Applied 30 Years Ago Survived Sandy

The Role Of FEMA’s Environmental And Historic Preservation Unit In A Disaster

TRENTON, N.J. — From Liberty State Park in North Jersey to Lucy the Elephant at the Shore, the state has a wealth of historic sites along the coast that have weathered the whims of Mother Nature for many years. Some, like Lucy, are more than 100 years old.

These important historic sites require protection both before and after a disaster, when any damage that has occurred needs to be repaired in a historically and environmentally sound way.

FEMA’s Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation Cadre (EHP) plays a critical role in helping municipalities and agencies understand the importance of compliance with environmental and cultural regulations so they may make informed planning decisions when repairing or rebuilding a damaged historic site.

EHP provides expertise and technical assistance to FEMA staff, local, state and federal partners, and applicants who are tasked with the challenge of preserving historic, cultural and natural aspects of our national heritage. They help applicants understand what is required under the law and how best to meet these requirements.

FEMA’s goal is to ensure that when FEMA funding is to be made available for the restoration of historic sites, all applicable federal, environmental and cultural statutes are identified and met.

The EHP program integrates the protection and enhancement of a state’s environmental, historic and cultural resources into FEMA’s mission, programs and activities.

Typical environmental and historic preservation laws and executive orders that may apply to an historic restoration project include the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and floodplains, wetlands and federal executive orders such as Environmental Justice. Also included are state historic preservation offices.

In a continuing partnership with local and state governments, FEMA seeks, through funding grants, to help states recover from a presidentially declared disaster and EHP is careful to advise all applicants to recognize environmental concerns in order to avoid project delays and permit denials while preserving and minimizing effects on New Jersey’s environmental and historic resources.

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.

The Role Of FEMA’s Environmental And Historic Preservation Unit In A Disaster