49.0°,
Mostly Cloudy East Rockaway to get help with dead trees
FEMA OKs funding, more than 100 dead trees to be removed by village DPW
East Rockaway will soon be a little bit less shady, as the village board members announced at their meeting on Monday that DPW workers will be taking down more than 100 trees that died as a result of Hurricane Sandy. The village will not be footing the bill, however, as the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently passed funding for the removal.
All told, 128 trees will be getting the axe, according to Mayor Bruno Romano. All of the trees currently stand in the 2013 storm’s flood zone, south of Atlantic Avenue.
In a showcase to the lasting effects of Sandy, the trees died recently, more than two years after the storm hit. Salt in the waters that flooded East Rockaway remains in the trees roots and trunks. This has slowly died out the trees, making them unable to retain water.
The exact dollar amount of the FEMA funding is still unknown, Romano said, because estimates still have to be gathered for the removal of all of the trees. The federal agency will be paying for all costs associated with the excavation.
Romano also said that it remains unclear if or when the trees would be replaced.
“Many of these trees were planted curbside,” Romano explained. “We’ve stopped planting trees curbside, because of the problems they cause with overhead power and communication wires and visibility… If we were to replant the trees near their original locations that would require us to plant on someone’s private property, which we may not be able to do.”
Trustee Rich Billello also pointed out that while the federal agency will be paying for any costs associated with the trees removal, the planting of new trees is not being paid for, leaving no current funding for new trees.
Lovers of leaves in the area need not fret for too long, however. Romano said that the village once again plans recently planted new trees throughout the village on Arbor Day, which was celebrated on April 24. Trees will also be planted throughout the year on various village properties.
Comments about this story? bmurray@liherald.com
