State officials study storm impact policies
Written by Staff
Thursday, 16 February 2012 10:56
State Rep. Kim Rose (D-Milford) recently joined Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) to announce the formation of a bipartisan task force to study and make legislative recommendations on storm impacts on homeowners and businesses on Connecticut’s shoreline.
Rose said. “We still have many residents who are homeless, that haven’t been able to rebuild after Storm Irene. I hope that one of the first priorities in the immediate future is to help these residents get back on track and provide them with solutions to start rebuilding.”
Donovan said the state needs to look at its policies to see if they are sufficient to meet the specific and unique needs of shoreline communities, residents and businesses.
The task force, which will be chaired by State Rep. James Albis (D-East Haven), will also look at the impact of climate changes on efforts to preserve shoreline communities. Its goal is to complete work and forward recommendations to the General Assembly in December 2012.
State Rep. Richard Roy (D-Milford) attended the news conference and will be a member of the task force.
“When homes are destroyed, we shouldn’t rush back to rebuild them,” Roy said. “We should work with real estate agents and builders to make sure when we rebuild it in a safer area than right on the beach. The sand moves quickly. We need to be smart to save homeowners, the state and federal government’s money in repairs they pay for year after year.”
The task force is charged with making recommendations to the General Assembly for legislation that will:
Assist those still rebuilding and recovering from Irene.
Develop new policies that specifically address the unique needs of shoreline and waterfront residents and businesses with respect to shoreline erosion, rising sea levels, and future storm planning.
Make sure new policies complement legislation that may be developed regarding emergency communications between towns and the state; utility company preparedness, response and accountability; and insurance issues.
The task force will begin meeting immediately. Its goal is to complete work and forward recommendations to the General Assembly in December.
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