NEW YORK‘S GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO SPOKE A TRUTH ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS A CITY, STATE & COUNTRY IN RESPECT TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO WITHSTAND THE BATTERING OF THE NEW CLIMATE CONDITIONS WE ARE ALL VERY MUCH AWARE OF.

I WATCHED THE HUDSON RIVER RISE OVER THE PIERS AND SLOWLY BUT DELIBERATELY CRAWL ACROSS THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY AND UP THE SIDE STREETS OF THE WEST VILLAGE. AS BASEMENTS FILLED AND THE POWER WENT DOWN, I SAW THE LIGHTS DIM INTO DARKNESS. AND HERE I WAS AGAIN, A NEW YORKER WITNESSING A POWERFUL ASSAULT ON MY BIRTH CITY. AS SURREAL AS 9/11 WAS, I FELT THIS STORM WAS THE SAME. I WATCHED THE SKIES OF NEW JERSEY BRIGHTEN OVER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME. I AM STILL NOT SURE IF IT WAS FIRE OR LIGHTNING, BUT IT WAS CLEAR THE ASSAULT WAS ON NEW JERSEY AS WELL. FOR MANY YEARS I SPENT TIME IN SPRING LAKE, NEW JERSEY AND LOVED ALL THE TOWNS ALONG THE SHORE. I SAW THE FILMS OF THE DESTRUCTION AND HEARD OF THE BIG PRAYER HALL IN OCEAN GROVE DAMAGED FROM THE STORM.

WE NEED TO EVALUATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE KIND OF REBUILDING WE NEED TO DO. IT IS FAIR TO THINK THAT THE CHERISHED WATER VIEWS MAY JUST BECOME TOO DANGEROUS FOR ENJOYMENT OR INVESTMENT.

IT IS TIME TO THINK ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER.

–NK