* Recommendations include improving electrical grid
* Access to U.S. projections of sea level rise
* Fuel supply chain needs protection
By Noreen O’Donnell
NEW YORK, Aug 19 (Reuters) – A U.S. task force on rebuilding
after Superstorm Sandy listed dozens of recommendations on
Monday to help protect communities from rising sea levels and
increasingly intense storms.
Among the 69 proposals included in its report, the Hurricane
Sandy Rebuilding Task Force suggested improvements to the
electrical grid and communication systems so they are less
likely to fail in a storm and urged that the fuel supply chain
be protected.
It recommended that governments and residents be given the
best scientific data available on current and future risks,
including a Web-based tool that uses federal agency information
to project how high sea levels will rise, up to 100 years in the
future.
“More than ever, it is critical that when we build for the
future, we do so in a way that makes communities more resilient
to emerging challenges such as rising sea levels, extreme heat
and more frequent and intense storms,” the report said.
It was released at a joint press conference by the task
force chairman, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Shaun Donovan, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
President Barack Obama created the task force in December,
months after the October 2012 storm devastated New York, New
Jersey and other parts of the East Coast. Sandy killed at least
159 people, and damaged or destroyed more than 650,000 homes,
leading to private insurance claims of $19 billion.
It knocked out subways, roads and bridges, and more than 9
million people lost power. In all, at least $30 billion to $50
billion in economic activity was lost.
“And we all remember the gas lines and generators sitting
idle due to a lack of fuel, bringing the region and the economy
to a standstill,” Donovan said.
The task force found that a major focus should be protecting
critical infrastructure.
Every dollar spent on hazard mitigation would save the
country at least $4 if another disaster struck, Donovan said.
The U.S. Congress in January approved an emergency aid
package of about $50 billion for areas devastated by the October
2012 superstorm. The Federal Emergency Management Agency alone
has provided more than $12 billion in assistance, Donovan said.
More assistance will be announced in coming weeks through
federal Community Development Block Grants, he said.
“We are not just focused on speeding relief to families and
communities,” Donovan said. “We’re also focused on protecting
communities from the risks of a changing climate.”
A competition called “Rebuild by Design,” in which teams of
architects and engineers address the risks, could deliver
innovative ideas for rebuilding in the region, the report said.
Other recommendations include:
– Helping victims stay in their homes by allowing quick
emergency repairs.
– Providing consistent guidance on remediating indoor
pollutants such as mold.
– Reforming the National Flood Insurance Program so that
homeowners are not priced out of their homes.
– Making it easier for small businesses to access federal
contracts for rebuilding.
(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Alden Bentley)
