Controversial barrier plans to protect NJ and NY from another Sandy would cost $32B to $119B [View all]

Despite its enormous price tag and concerns about its environmental impact, the federal government is still considering a project to build a series of barriers to protect New York and North Jersey from storm surges like the one from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 that devastated the region.

The proposals — including a 6-mile series of tide gates and sea walls from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point, Queens — have generated so much criticism that a national environmental group on Tuesday named the Hudson River the second-most-threatened waterway in the U.S. because of the potential project.

“Harming this iconic river with massive flood barriers doesn’t make sense when we should be identifying better, more cost-effective options to protect people and property, as well as river health," said Eileen Shader, a director with the advocacy group American Rivers, which will release its annual report Tuesday on the nation's most endangered rivers.

Details on the proposals are contained in a 136-page report that estimates the four barrier proposals of varying complexity and scope would cost from $32 billion, for a series of surge gates in area rivers, to $119 billion, for the 6-mile barrier.

Read more: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/environment/2019/04/16/plans-protect-nj-and-ny-another-hurricane-sandy-costly/3426934002/