The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has extended an original 45-day public comment period on plans to manage storm risk in New York and New Jersey for an additional 30 days. WAMC’s Allison Dunne explains.
The extended comment period is for six conceptual plans to manage storm risk for an area that includes the Hudson River up to Troy. The options range from controversial storm surge barriers to natural and shoreline solutions. The Army Corps held five public scoping sessions on the topic, two in New York City, two in New Jersey, and one in Poughkeepsie in July. Elected officials on both sides of the aisle were among those calling for an extended comment period and additional scoping sessions elsewhere along the Hudson River. Such officials include Republican state Senators Terrence Murphy and Sue Serino, along with Democratic Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
