Dear Members/Partners:

As you may have heard, FEMA has released its Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) information to help communities plan for and reduce the risk from future flooding. FEMA Region II (covering NY, NJ, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) has initiated a coastal flood study to update Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) for parts of NY and NJ.  The websitewww.region2coastal.com, which hosts a wide array of information, will be updated as the Region II coastal flood study continues.

This information is crucial to those who need to rebuild after Sandy so they can build stronger and safer. It is important for property and business owners to work with their local officials to fully understand any requirements for using ABFEs and/or determining mandatory elevations in rebuilding.  On the Sandy ABFE page www.region2coastal.com/sandy/abfe, you can view interactive ABFE maps, watch video tutorials, and access guides and toolkits.  Here is a sample of some of the information available. 

noaa.gov - January 28, 2013

According to a new technical report, the effects of climate change will continue to threaten the health and vitality of U.S. coastal communities’ social, economic and natural systems. The report, Coastal Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerabilities: a technical input to the 2013 National Climate Assessment, authored by leading scientists and experts, emphasizes the need for increased coordination and planning to ensure U.S. coastal communities are resilient against the effects of climate change.

The recently-released report examines and describes climate change impacts on coastal ecosystems and human economies and communities, as well as the kinds of scientific data, planning tools and resources that coastal communities and resource managers need to help them adapt to these changes.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY - (CLICK HERE FOR UPDATES)

Press Release from the United States Environmental Protection Agency - February 4, 2013

Improving housing quality can dramatically affect the health of residents

WASHINGTON – Several federal agencies today unveiled Advancing Healthy Housing – A Strategy for Action. White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Nancy Sutley, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan, Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, M.D., and Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman discussed the new plan during an event at the National Building Museum this morning.

The initiative represents a bold new vision for addressing the nation’s health and economic burdens caused by preventable hazards associated with the home. The Strategy for Action encourages federal agencies to take preemptive actions that will help reduce the number of American homes with health and safety hazards.

CLICK HERE to watch LIVE coverage as The Weather Channel tracks winter storm Nemo.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151357820591716&set=a.208096366715.141536.201357451715&type=1&theater

NOAA Graphical Forecasts

nyc.gov

PlowNYC was created to allow the public to track the progress of Department of Sanitation clearing operations throughout the five boroughs. Enter your address in the spaces below to view your street's snow removal category or to track the progress of City plows during a snow event.

(GO to PlowNYC and scroll down)

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg

Although Mayor Bloomberg has stated publicly that he does not like the idea of gambliing in New York, he is supporting Governor Cuomo's casino plan, as long as a portion of the revenues come to New York City.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bloomberg-support-gov-cuomo-casino-plan-decides-article-1.997561

submitted by Peter B. Gudaitis

unmetneedsroundtable.org

MISSION STATEMENT

Building the capacity of case workers and donors to match the unmet needs of disaster impacted people with resources that ensure a client’s sustainable recovery on a case-by-case basis

About Unmetneedroundtable.Org

submitted by Dennis Saleeby

CBS News- January 29, 2013

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Parts of the Rockaways were lined with oceanfront dream homes just months ago, but following Superstorm Sandy, they have been left falling apart.

“I looked at my husband and I remember saying, ‘I lost my business,’” said Lisa Jackson, a real estate agent with Rockaway Properties. “We lost so many homes.”

Jackson once showed shining houses on the sea. Now, she has no choice but to sell homes torn to pieces.

(READ COMPLETE ARTICLE)

submitted by Dennis Saleeby

Wednesday January 30, 2013 1:32 PM By Yancey Roy

State legislative leaders aren’t embracing Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s proposal to limit new casinos to three upstate locations -- and say Long Island and New York City should be in the mix.

Cuomo huddled with Senate and Assembly leaders for about 90 minutes Wednesday to discuss casinos and other issues. Afterward they said talks on an expansion of gambling were still “evolving.”

But legislators...

For more, see link:

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/spin-cycle-1.812042/ny-legislative-leaders-not-sold-on-cuomo-casino-plan-1.4535204