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The company seeking to run a gas pipeline under Floyd Bennett Field and build a meter and regulating station in a historic airplane hangar there commissioned a report that found a .2 percent chance the planned facility would be flooded, even amid rising sea levels.

The Williams Transco pipeline company’s report came in response to an April 4 letter from the New York Department of State seeking reassurance that the station couldn’t be breeched after the Federal Emergency Management Agency updated its flood maps, post-Hurricane Sandy.

“Infrastructure in general was severely impacted by Sandy and NYDOS would not be adequately addressing coastal policies if we did not try to ensure that new infrastructure projects were able to withstand coastal impacts, including flooding,” Laz Benitez, an NYDOS spokesman said in an email.

Keep reading to find out Transco’s response.

Source: Free Press Pics via Flickr

In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, many business and homeowners were left with tough financial decisions as to how to rebuild their lives. Many were offered loans by the Small Business Association (SBA) but rejected them because they didn’t want to incur more debt.

Because of complex bureaucratic rules, business and homeowners who rejected the SBA loans are now being denied some resources, leading politicians like Senator Charles Schumer and Congressman Michael Grimm to press the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) into changing their rules, according to a press release.

Current HUD policy now demands that the amount of approved loans, including those who didn’t even accept them in the first place, are to be counted against the potential grant amounts they are eligible for in the upcoming distribution of the Community Development Block Grants. The justification of the complex rule that Schumer and Grimm are battling against was explained in the release:

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, which comes in the form of a grant, not a loan, is intended to supplement other forms of available aid, and cover only “unmet need.” In determining the amount of “unmet need,” HUD regulations provide that any SBA loans for which a homeowner is approved are counted against the of unmet need.

The problem with this regulation is that it does not take into consideration the circumstances that might have led someone to reject a loan in the first place. Schumer expressed concern that this policy will hurt people who need it most.

“This policy will punish these homeowners and HUD should do everything in it power to make sure these individuals are eligible for additional federal assistance,” said Schumer.

Schumer’s concerns were shared by Grimm, according to SI Live.

Source: Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia

Congressmen Michael Grimm and Gregory Meeks were joined by colleagues Charles Rangel, Jerrold Nadler and Eliot Engle to introduce the Flood Victim Premium Relief Act 2013 (H.R. 960), a bill which aims to delay flood insurance hikes for Superstorm Sandy victims, according to a report by SI Live.

In a release issued by Congressman Grimm, the bill extends “the premium increase timeline for primary residences in areas that have been declared a federal disaster area after July 6, 2012 from 5 years to 8 years.”

Grimm expressed the importance this bill will play in helping homeowners make it through these tough times.

“If we allow flood premiums to increase on their current schedule, based on the new maps, homeowners are going to be in an impossible position of trying to both pay their mortgage as well as increased flood premiums that may rise over $10,000 in some cases. This situation will almost certainly lead to a surge in defaults and foreclosures and cost the taxpayers vast sums via the government’s exposure to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHA. Allowing an extra three years to increase premiums will give both homeowners and localities time make smart, long term flood mitigation and rebuilding plans.”

The bill, a bipartisan effort, has received support from Congressman Hakeem Jeffries.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The government giveth… crippling partisan bickering taketh away.

As across-the-board government cuts known as the “sequester” kick in this week, many New Yorkers are facing the reality that the aid sent to them in the form of the $60 billion Sandy package will be reduced by $3 billion, according to a report by Fox 5.

While it’s hard to tell exactly which parts of the Sandy aid package will get the ax, the changes will be felt in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the immediate impact of the sequester will be felt in the form of flight delays as thousands of TSA screeners and air traffic controllers will be furloughed – a temporary, unpaid leave – leading to slower and reduced service.

Councilman Domenic Recchia, chair of the powerful Finance Committee charged with developing the city’s budget, also weighed in on the negative effects the sequester will wreck on jobs and the unemployment rate in New York City in a press release:

Nationally, it’s been estimated that the sequestration could cost as many as 750,000 jobs and anywhere ranging from a .25 point increase to a 1.5 point increase in the national unemployment rate. Here, in New York City, a spike in unemployment is of significant concern because our rate of unemployment, at 8.8%, is already higher than the national average, 7.9%. For the past five years, we’ve fought hard to overcome a sluggish economy, and now this threat to economic growth is a devastating step in the wrong direction.

The longer the across the board cuts continue, what will be cut and how it will affect the recovery will become more clear.

Recchia

After weeks of speculation, City Councilman Domenic Recchia has publicly confirmed that he’s taking aim at incumbent Congressman Michael Grimm for a district that spans Staten Island, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst and Gravesend in the 2014 Congressional elections.

Recchia confirmed his desire for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in an interview with the Staten Island Advance over the weekend.

“We’re running,” Recchia said. “We’re going for Congress.”

His team put out a press release on Sunday, stating that he will file papers to formally enter the race for New York’s 11th Congressional District this week.

“I am running because I believe we need leadership in Washington that gets results, leadership that can be trusted, and leadership that is willing to stand up and fight for a better future for the people of Staten Island and South Brooklyn,” Recchia said in the statement.

While his statement made no mention of his opponent Michael Grimm, he didn’t shy away from attacking the incumbent in his interview with the Advance.

“We need Grimm to stand up to the leadership of his party and fight for us more,” said Recchia. “Enough is enough. We can do better. We deserve better. It’s time for me to step forward and make a difference.”

In 2012, Grimm won a 53-to-46 percent.victory over Democratic challenger Mark Murphy, a candidate who was a consistent no-show at debates and community meetings. Murphy’s campaign, though, notched up support by slamming Grimm’s headline-grabbing fundraising flubs, in which he’s being investigated for accepting illegal campaign contributions. Grimm was named “one of the most corrupt members of Congress” by watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) for the fundraising allegations, the second year in a row he has made the list.

Recchia, a Gravesend resident, has served on the City Council since 2002 and, since 2010, has served as chairman of the powerful Finance Committee. He was previously believed to be eyeing the city Comptroller’s seat, and then Borough President, before squashing those rumors in January.

The Daily News got the scoop that Coney Island Councilman Domenic Recchia is pulling out of his race against State Senator Eric Adams for the Brooklyn Borough President’s seat – and turning his energies to giving embattled Republican Congressman Michael Grimm the boot.

City Councilman Domenic Recchia is dropping his bid for Brooklyn Borough President – paving the way for an outspoken Afican American state lawmaker to make history.

Recchia (D-Coney Island) now plans to challenge embattled Republican Rep. Michael Grimm, several friends told the News.

… Recchia is term limited out of the Council and has been scrambling for months to find a new spot.

He long sought to run for City Controller, but begrudgingly dropped that dream after political party bigs backed Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer’s bid.

Recchia, who serves as the Council’s powerful finance chair, then planned to run for Borough President, promising to formally announce his bid earlier this month.

But he was never excited about the idea of seeking a post that carries little legislative power or political influence, a source said.

“That’s a step down for the Council finance chair,” a Recchia ally said.

The Grimm seat has long been a possibility for the city lawmaker, political insiders said.

Recchia contemplated running against the embattled congressman last year.

In November, Grimm defeated his Democratic challenger, Mark Murphy, 53 percent to 46 percent.

Predictably, Recchia’s office refused to confirm or deny the report to the Daily News.

Grimm, meanwhile, is still limping along after his mild victory against lackluster candidate Mark Murphy. Despite Murphy’s failure to appear at any debate against Grimm, weak fundraising, and a rather embarrassing moment of dim-wittedness captured by the New York Times, Murphy only lost to the incumbent Grimm by seven percent of the vote – probably due to the fact that Grimm is hounded by numerous scandal allegations.

Source: wallyg via Flickr

Tomorrow, the board of the MTA will cast their votes on raising tolls on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to a whopping $15 – and local pols are fuming.

State Senator Marty Golden, Congressman Michael Grimm and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis issued a joint statement to the board and its chairman, Joe Lhota, urging them to kill the proposal and grant Brooklynites and Staten Islanders a measure of economic relief.

The statement follows a letter sent by the trio on December 13. In it, they wrote:

This proposal will hit the pockets of all New Yorkers who traverse the Verrazano Bridge for the purposes of work, shopping, medical care, family visits, and more. It is just unacceptable that the most expensive bridge in the world, already at $13, has the potential to become more expensive.

… In these difficult economic times, the last thing New Yorkers need is the burden of additional travel expenses. The proposal now before the MTA will further strain the budgets of millions of New York’s families and cause a loss of revenue for countless businesses. This proposal is not only misguided, it is something New Yorkers are not willing to accept.

The current proposal calls for raising the toll $2, from $13 to $15. The increase would be $1.06 for those with E-Z Pass.

The three Republican legislators are not alone. Last month, Democratic Councilman Vincent Gentile stood before the board at its November 28 hearing and blasted the plan. He also demanded that the MTA extend the discount they give to Staten Island residents to Brooklyn residents as well.

Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz celebrating during an election night party at the Turkish Cultural Center of Brooklyn. (Photo: Erica Sherman)

By now, the whole world knows that the American people chose to send Barack Obama back to the White House for another four years. But how did your local elected fare on election day? In short, Southern Brooklyn will see little if any change, with all incumbents but one returning for another term. Here’s the roundup.

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We noted recently that new Congressional district lines means we’ll be seeing a lot of new faces in our neck of the woods. With the 13th District, currently occupied by Republican Michael Grimm, morphing into the 11th District, it bulks out further into Brooklyn to include parts of Sheepshead Bay and Gravesend.

Enter one of the new faces you’ll see more often as the election nears: Democrat Mark Murphy, who is challenging Grimm.

Murphy came before the Southern Brooklyn Democrats at their Monday night meeting this week, seeking support from the progressive group for his campaign. Murphy did a short Q&A, telling attendees that he hopes to “protect the next generation” and “those who do not have a voice,” as well as Medicare and Medicaid for the generation that came before. He slammed his opponent, Michael Grimm, for having slashed Medicare and Medicaid while offering tax cuts to overseas companies and oil companies.

Murphy also criticized Grimm for his failure to fight for jobs in New York City when federal guidelines force the city to turn to out-of-state contractors for public projects.

What caught our ear was a response Murphy gave to a question about the natural gas pipeline that may soon be installed beneath Jamaica Bay, Gateway National Recreation Area and Floyd Bennett Field. The bill permitting construction of such a pipeline was sponsored by Grimm. Murphy said he supported the expansion of natural gas service, but that if it’s to benefit a private company, the funding for it should come from private sources. However, a number of details in his answer revealed he was not familiar with some of the elements of the plan – such as the fact that no pipeline already exists within the park – or the safety and environmental concerns from neighbors.

Sheepshead Bites followed up with Murphy to ask him to clarify his stance, based on details we provided from our earlier coverage. Here is his updated statement:

We face a constant challenge in balancing our energy needs against protecting our natural resources, and this project is no exception. While this project, linking Brooklyn and Staten Island to an existing offshore pipeline, has the potential to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and polluting high-sulfur heating oil it still brings clear risk to the environment. Therefore, I believe that any gas pipeline must first and foremost be built and managed under strict oversight and adhering the most rigorous environmental standards, and that any company with a poor safety record or past safety law violations should be banned from involvement in this project. No taxpayer funds should be used in its construction, and impingement on the seafloor must be minimized. While we still need a longer-term energy policy that reduces our dependence on fossil fuels in general, in the immediate future our responsibility is to ensure that we continue to phase out more polluting energy sources like high-sulfur home heating oil and decrease New York’s overall carbon footprint.

Southern Brooklyn Democrats voted to endorse Murphy at the end of the meeting.

The approximate location of the proposed natural gas pipeline.

After the House of Representatives passed a bill last week approving the construction of a three-mile gas pipeline, running underneath Jamaica Bay through Brooklyn and Queens, environmentalists and local leaders are outraged, claiming they were kept in the dark about it.

“It was done behind the public’s back,” said Ida Sanoff, Chairperson of the Natural Resources Protective Association.

Find out what the plan is, and why environmentalists say they’re being left out of the process.