Hauppauge, NY - September 10, 2014 - Legislator Sarah Anker’s resolution to address erosion on the north shore of Long Island has passed unanimously at the September 9th Meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature.
The bill, which was introduced at the July 29th Meeting of the Legislature, calls for a task force to develop strategies that will protect the north shore’s infrastructure and environment from the effects of coastal erosion. Legislator Anker will chair the task force which will also include seven environmental experts from federal, state, and county departments.
County representatives include Suffolk County’s Division of Planning, Soil and Water Conservation District, and Department of Public Works. On the federal level, U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide environmental specialists from the National Resource Conservation Service in addition to representatives from the First U.S. Congressional District. On the state level, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) will lend their expertise.
“After meeting with local residents it became evident that more needed to be done to prevent erosion along the north shore,” said Legislator Anker. “It’s been nearly two years since Superstorm Sandy impacted Long Island, but the effects of the storm remain evident in many of the communities within my district where properties have lost up to 30 feet of prime real estate. It is imperative that we prioritize this issue and address coastal erosion with every possible resource.”
The Task Force will have 120 days to deliver its findings to the Legislature and the County Executive for review.
