Legislator Wolfe Requests County Funding to Update Ramapo-Mahwah Flood Remediation Study

New City, NY (July 6, 2011)– Rockland County Legislator Alden H. Wolfe, Vice Chairman of the Legislature, has requested that the County fund the local share of a revaluation and updated study for a proposed flood remediation project along the Ramapo and Mahwah Rivers in Suffern. For many decades, the Mahwah River, which runs through Suffern into New Jersey’s Ramapo River, has been the source of significant flooding in Western Ramapo, predominantly in the Squire’s Gate and Lake Antrim areas of Suffern, as well as the area of Lake Road in Montebello.

The project was originally authorized by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 90’s under the Federal Water Resource Development Act of 1986, but lay dormant until 2000 when the involved parties (States of NY and NJ, Village of Suffern, Mahwah, NJ Township and the County of Rockland) expressed interest in resuming the project.  The Corps completed a feasibility study and reauthorized the project in 2008 and advised that it was ready to proceed with a reevaluation study to report on changed conditions and the potential for new or alternative plans.  The cost of that study is shared by the federal, state and local government.  The local government share in 2010 was $344,000.  Wolfe has requested that the County’s Capital Projects Budget is increased by the amount $400,000 to take into consideration any inflationary increases.

“The residents of these communities have suffered for years, and conditions have reached the point where flooding has become a constant threat,” said Legislator Wolfe. “I think that it's entirely proper for Rockland County to step up to the plate as the local sponsor, take ownership of this issue and provide the initial funding for the local share of this study.  While no one can say with certainty that this study will result in a permanent solution, it's incumbent on us to explore any reasonable option.  My suffering neighbors deserve at least that much.”

Wolfe’s resolution will appear on the agenda of an upcoming meeting of the Planning and Public Works Committee.  All Legislature committee meetings are open to the public Committee agendas can be viewed online athttp://www.co.rockland.ny.us/Legislature/Cagendas/Cagendas.htm.