Scientists Submit Proposals To Protect New Jersey's Coastline From Future Hurricanes
By David Madden
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) - The scientific community is working on ways to better protect areas ravaged by Hurricane Sandy 17 months ago. One idea in particular is getting a good deal of attention.
It's actually a contest of sorts HUD has set up to guard against the next Superstorm. Called "Rebuild by Design", the feds are looking at 10 different plans. One designed by Alan Blumberg, a professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken.
"Can we come up with an idea of building offshore dunes, maybe 10 to 12 miles offshore, designed in a way that protects the entire region at the same time."
That region starts at Barnegat Bay and works up past Manhattan to Long Island. He figures South Jersey is better off strengthening the dune system already in place.
His plan would cost $10-billion or more and take five years just to design. His hope is to get some seed money to study the idea.
