The Town of North Hempstead has received more than $4 million in federal funding to remove sediment buildup in Manhasset Bay that officials said has blocked off parts of Hempstead Harbor from boaters.
Following the 2012 storm, sediment buildup beneath the water near the Town Dock in Port Washington resulted in the town losing the moorings that allowed boaters to rope off their vessels.
North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth in a statement said the funding — $4,142,815.50 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and $460,312.83 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development -— “will once again allow boats of all sizes to utilize our Manhasset Bay and Town Dock while also allowing us to re-open our full complement of mooring space for boaters.”
First announced in a joint news release from senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats, the FEMA grant will cover 90 percent of the costs to remove the sediment, which has prevented boats larger than 85 feet long from entering the dock.
“The Town of North Hempstead’s shoreline was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy, resulting in a large amount of sediment that blocked the navigable channel leading to the town dock,” Schumer said in a statement. “This federal investment will help fund the removal needed without leaving local taxpayers entirely on the hook for these expenses.”
Gillibrand in a statement said the grant “will help provide much needed resources on the ground to help us rebuild as recovery efforts continue.”
