Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of the New York State Resiliency Institute for Storms & Emergencies (NYS RISE), a new “applied think tank” led by New York University and Stony Brook University that will serve as a hub of research and education on emergency preparedness, as well as a clearinghouse of information regarding extreme weather and natural disasters.
The Resiliency Institute will bring together academic thought leaders as well as government officials, national experts and emergency response leaders, to conduct research and provide scientific information and intellectual resources that will lead to the development of comprehensive plans that policymakers and stakeholders can use to better protect communities.
Preceding the public hearing hundreds of New Yorkers rallied outside, demanding that the LNG regulations be withdrawn. Photo credit: Frack Action
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, hundreds of New Yorkers from across the state came to Albany to expose Gov. Cuomo (D-NY) and the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) proposed Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regulations for what they are: fatally flawed, a danger to public health and our wellbeing and supportive of a massive fracking infrastructure build out.
One year after Superstorm Sandy, many of those impacted by the storm remain without a permanent home and dependent on diminishing relief funds. New York Magazine reports at least 22,000 households are still displaced. We are joined by two guests: Shawn Little, a healthcare worker who has been living in hotels with her family since Sandy devastated their neighborhood in the Rockaways section of Queens, and Judith Goldiner, attorney in charge of the Civil Law Reform Unit at the Legal Aid Society.
Today marks the first anniversary of Superstorm Sandy hitting the New York region, becoming one of the most destructive storms in the nation’s history. On October 29, 2012, the hurricane blasted New York City with a record storm surge as high as 13 feet, as well as the Jersey Shore and New England, ultimately killing 159 people along the East Coast and damaging more than 650,000 homes. The storm caused $70 billion in damage across eight states. Millions were left without power in the New York region, some for weeks. We are joined by two women who have played key roles in the region’s recovery: Terri Bennett, a founder of Respond and Rebuild, one of the first groups to help low-income residents of the Rockaways rebuild after Superstorm Sandy, and also focused on providing free mold remediation that eventually inspired the city’s similar program, and Jessica Roff, a founder of Restore the Rock, a nonprofit created by Sandy volunteers who met while working out of a space in the Rockaways called YANA, or You Are Never Alone, where they operated a free health clinic, legal clinic and trained and dispatched hundreds of volunteers.
On Tuesday October 29th – the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy – groups from across the region will be lighting up the coastline to acknowledge the impact of the storm and the on-going resilience challenges we collectively face. Groups in Staten Island, Red Hook, Lower East Side, in Connecticut and all down the Jersey shore will join together with flashlights and candles along the coast. The goal is to have the entire Sandy-impacted coastline illuminated!
All communities are welcome to join their friends and neighbors and line the coast in solidarity for a resilient future! Information about specific community meeting spots and times are shown below:
Lower East Side Time: 6:45PM to 8:15PM Where: East River Park
elitedaily.com - by Christian La Du - October 28, 2013
One year ago, the east coast was ravaged by SuperStorm Sandy, a freak occurrence combining a hurricane, Nor’easter, high tide, and a full moon, which wrought particular destruction on the tri-state area.
Although the enduring legacy of Sandy is not measured in tallies of destruction, numbers like 8.6 million homes and businesses without power, gas and water, 650,000 destroyed houses, 200,000 damaged businesses, and 286 deaths afflicted over 13 states. Approximately 50 million people felt the effects of the storm over 800 mile stretch, and an estimated $65 billion in economic damages were incurred.
The real, lasting effect of Hurricane Sandy, however, is in the radical life shifts that people forcibly underwent.
theforumnewsgroup.com - October 3rd, 2013 - Anna Gustafson
Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio traveled to Far Rockaway Sunday to discuss his long-term recovery plan for residents still struggling after Hurricane Sandy.
Nearly a year after the storm devastated much of the Rockaways and South Queens, as well as other parts of the city, de Blasio stressed that far too many residents are still struggling and need help from the government in a variety of different ways – among them “quality health care and good-paying jobs with community leaders outside the now-closed Peninsula Hospital.”
Peninsula Hospital was shut down by the state Department of Health last year, leaving just one hospital to service the entire Rockaway peninsula.
Julio and Belinda Ramos, who were hit with a power outage, hold their eight-year-old son Charles as they stand in line to pick up food supplies at a grocery store after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)
theatlanticcities.com - by Siddhartha Mahanta - October 21, 2013
In New York City, locating a bite to eat is rarely a difficult task. The city is a food paradise or, depending on your mood, a place of overwhelming glut.
But when Superstorm Sandy pummeled New York last fall, it revealed the terrifying potential for sudden food shortages.
Rebuild by Design is hosting two public receptions in New York and New Jersey to hear Rebuild by Design's ten Design Teams discuss their research and the ideas born out of their work.
This is a critical moment for the Rebuild by Design project and a perfect occasion to learn more about the teams' thoughtful and unique visions to make our region more resilient.
The proposals follow three months of in-depth analysis and public outreach, including both one-on-one conversations with people living in affected areas and robust guided conversations with Design Teams and citizens. This will lead up to a selection of projects each team will pursue in the design phase—the next and final portion of the competition.
Assemblyman Goldfeder Announces DEC Accepting Applications for Environmental Grant
State Funding Available to Improve Urban Environments & Parks, Especially in Sandy-Damaged NeighborhoodsNearly $500,000 in Grants Will Be Provided to Eligible Applicants, Including Municipalities, Public Benefit Corporations, Public Authorities, School Districts and Not-for-Profit Organizations
governor.ny.gov - Albany, NY (November 1, 2013)
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