Council Bills Aim To Study Sandy Impact, Prevent Future Damages

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Council Bills Aim To Study Sandy Impact, Prevent Future Damages
Updated 12/18/2012 04:05 PM
By: NY1 News

Members of the City Council have introduced legislation to improve infrastructure across the five boroughs, in hopes of protecting against damage from future storms.

The package of bills suggests installing higher floors in new buildings located in flood- prone areas.

It will also require boilers and other equipment to be installed in areas not prone to flooding.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to produce new maps that could expand the areas officially deemed to be flood-prone.

"With current maps clearly out of date, the creation of new maps will expand the areas that must adhere to floodproofing requirements. That's really important, to make sure we're floodproofing as much of the city as we should, and two, to get in New Yorkers' minds how much more of the city is now flood-vulnerable, so they know that in the future," said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

Another proposal would study burying more power lines, away from strong winds and trees.

The council will hold a series of hearings in January and February to assess the city's storm planning, management and recovery efforts.

Hearing Details

• Disaster Management (Monday, January 14, 10 a.m.)
Committees on Public Safety, Fire, Health, Aging, Mental Health/Disabilities, General Welfare

• NYCHA Emergency Planning and Response (Wednesday, January 16, 1 p.m.)
Committee on Public Housing

• Assessing and Improving Public Utility Risk Mitigation Measures (Friday, January 18, 1 p.m.)
Committees on Consumer Affairs, Technology, Lower Manhattan Redevelopment

• How Did 911, 311 and Emergency Alerts Perform? (Tuesday, January 22, 1 p.m.)
Committees on Public Safety, Fire, Technology

• Emergency Preparedness and Response at the City’s Healthcare Facilities (Thursday, January 24, 1 p.m.)
Committees on Health, Mental Health, Aging

• Shelter Management (Wednesday, January 30, 1 p.m.)
Committees on Health, Aging, Mental Health/Disabilities, General Welfare

• MTA’s Response and the Long-term Impact on the City’s Public Transportation System (Thursday, January 31, 1 p.m.)
Committee on Transportation

• Impact on the City’s Roads, Bridges, Tunnels and Airports (Tuesday, February 5, 1 p.m.)
Committee on Transportation

• Managing the City’s Housing Needs in the Wake of Hurricane Sandy (Thursday, February 7, 1 p.m.)
Committee on Housing and Buildings

• Restoring and Growing the City’s Small Businesses (Monday, February 11, 1 p.m.)
Committees on Small Business and Economic Development

• Post-Storm Cleanup and the Effects on the City’s Health and Infrastructure (Wednesday, February 13, 1 p.m.)
Committees on Sanitation, Parks, Health, Environmental Protection

• Storm-related Impact on Schools and Students (Tuesday, February 26, 1 p.m.)
Committee on Education

• Rebuilding the City’s Infrastructure (TBD)
Committees on Environmental Protection, Finance, Land Use, Waterfronts, Housing and Buildings, Transportation