MANVILLE: Mayor: We need share of Sandy storm aid

   Editor’s note: This letter was sent to New Jersey U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, congressmen Rush Holt, Leonard Lance and Rodney P. Frelinghuysen. Copies were sent to local, county and state legislators.
   Dear legislators:
   As a result of the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy, the tri-state area will be receiving nearly $50 billion in disaster aid assistance in the near future. We in Manville, as well as our fellow communities in the Raritan and Millstone Rivers Flood Control Commission were also designated in the Disaster Declaration of Sandy.
   Since 1996, flooding along the Millstone and Raritan Rivers has been severe enough for seven disaster declarations. Immediately following Hurricane Floyd in 1999, a Reconnaissance Report was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which recommended a larger, more detailed study be done on the flooding.
   The study was established in March of 2002 as the Millstone River Basin, N.J. Flood Damage Reduction & Ecosystem Restoration Study at a cost of $6,800,000. The cost was evenly split between the state and federal governments. To date, almost 11 years later, the study still has not been completed and requires $3,846,719 in funding to be finished.
   I believe that it is extremely important that this study be completed before other studies are funded with the Super Storm Sandy aid. It is not our intent to deny aid to those in need, but rather we seek to be included in any available funding, since we experienced the same devastation as the shore towns, not once, but several times.
   The Raritan and Millstone Rivers Flood Control Commission has seven involved communities (soon to be eight with Raritan Borough), as well as the County of Somerset, who stand firmly behind the completion of the study that is now in its 11th year. How much longer can we wait?
   In closing, please contact me for any further information you require, and I trust you will do your best to get us the funding to complete the study.
   Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Angelo Corradino
Mayor
Manville Borough 