Nine-and-a-half months after superstorm, state panel learns of missteps and mistakes in rush to rebuild.Senate and Assembly Environment Committees, holding a joint meeting yesterday at the Atlantic City Convention Center, heard testimony from environmental experts who said Jersey Shore rebuilding efforts are taking the wrong approach.
A series of environmental experts testified yesterday that the state is taking the wrong approach in rebuilding the shore, not considering the future effects of climate change and not focusing enough of its efforts on offering buyouts in flood-prone areas. The message was delivered before a rare, joint meeting of the Senate and Assembly Environment Committees at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
Taking a line from the new state tourism campaign, former DEP Commissioner Mark Mauriello warned that the state is in fact not “stronger than the storm,” and never will be.
Actually, it's more a matter of brains than brawn. Some of those testifying stressed that the state needs to rethink where it is rebuilding. Others warned that little consideration was being given to affordable housing and also complained about a lack of transparency in the recovery process. And several said that red tape was making it difficult for people to file for state and federal assistance.
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