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Rockaway Beach Replenishment Advocates Call For Rock Jetties, Call It 'No Brainer' Line Of Defense

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Beach replenishment advocates in the Rockaways are calling for a jetty field off the shore of Rockaway Beach to help prevent future damage similar to what was brought on by superstorm Sandy.

WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reports

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"Not having rock jetties in the Rockaways is equivalent to no levies in New Orleans. It's exactly the same thing. It's a massive problem and they've been kicking the can down the road. We need this more than anything. It makes no sense for people to put boilers in their homes in Belle Harbor if the water's going to be coming down the block next week," said Friends of Rockaway Beach co-founder John Cori.

The issue, according to experts, is the cost. A single rock jetty costs $1 million to build. Cori estimates 50 jetties are needed to help protect the Rockaways.

"My motto has always been 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of sand,'" Cori told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond. "We had no protection prior to this storm, that sand was gone. The sense of urgency by the federal government and various agencies just was not there."

Cori said jetties are the biggest line of defense to protect the Rockaways against storms. Much of the peninsula was flooded by Sandy and the ensuing storm surge.

"It's a no-brainer. Where we have the jetties along the Long Island shore and into Rockaway here, they work. They work very well," Cori told Diamond.

Cori said he thinks the jetties helped spare the community of Arverne By The Sea and its boardwalk.

"It held up because it was in a massive jetty field. The beach in the areas that I'm speaking about, in the jetty field, the beaches, the sand was held in place and that sand was at least 200 feet from the boardwalk," he said.

Community leaders have a rally planned for Sunday at Beach 86th Street to urge elected officials to lobby for funds for new jetties.

Do you think jetties should be build off the coast, regardless of cost? Sound off in the comments section below...

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