Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, Chief of Engineers, has signed the report for the Hudson Raritan Estuary (HRE) Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study making it eligible for congressional authorization.
The Corps’ New York District and multiple non-federal sponsors commenced six concurrent ecosystem restoration feasibility studies in the 1990s and early 2000s that focused on the restoration of different areas of the harbor estuary.
In an effort to streamline parallel efforts and maximize efficiencies, the six feasibility studies were combined into a larger comprehensive study for the estuary–the HRE Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study.
The Chief’s Report signed this week identifies a strategy for restoration, developed through a multi-agency collaborative effort.
The Recommended Plan includes restoration at 20 individual project locations that will restore a mosaic of 621 acres of habitat that will reduce long-term and large-scale degradation in the Hudson Raritan Estuary.
“The signing of the Chief’s Report for the NY and NJ Hudson Raritan Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study means we are one critical step closer to strengthening the resiliency of our coastal communities and restoring and protecting the NY- NJ Harbor Estuary’s vast ecosystem for years to come,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer .
The Chief’s Report will now undergo further review by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works and Office of Management and Budget before formal submittal to Congress.