Journal of Light Construction: Coastal Contractor

New Jersey Governor Christie Vows to Build Dunes Over Opposition

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:34:55 EST

In blunt and sometimes profane language, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is promising to build a continuous dune along his state’s entire barrier island beach front.

Plum Island Versus the Sea: The Struggle Continues

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:48:33 EST

Homeowners on Plum Island, Massachusetts, have the state’s okay to move sand around in a last-ditch effort to save their houses from the ocean. For now.

North Carolina Moves to Sandbag LEED in Fight Over Lumber Sourcing

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:48:08 EST

Lumber interests are pushing to get North Carolina off the LEED bandwagon.

Army Corps Starts to Restore Delaware Beaches

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:46:55 EST

Federal funds (and sand) are flowing in Delaware, where the Corps of Engineers is ready to put the beaches back the way they were before Sandy — and then some.

Flood Insurance Rate Reform Sparks Multi-State Backlash

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:47:10 EST

Increased premiums included in last year’s flood insurance reform package are starting to make waves in coastal states.

New York Homeowners Cool to Post-Sandy Buyout Offers — Except for Staten Island

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:47:47 EST

Federal authorities have approved hundreds of millions of dollars of funding to help New York State buy out homeowners in threatened shore areas. But most storm victims would rather rebuild.

BP Oil Spill Effects Linger in the Gulf

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 10:55:06 EST

The oil stopped flowing two years ago. Much of the money hasn’t started flowing yet. And the Gulf Coast, some reports say, is still hurting from the effects of BP’s disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform blowout.

On the Wet Side of the Levee, Louisiana Homeowners Stress Over Flood Insurance

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:39:27 EST

Homeowners in Louisiana’s fragile delta are living outside the Federal levee system — and with FEMA policy changing, they’re worried about the future.

Texas Tackles Windstorm Insurance Reform

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 10:30:55 EST

The Texas legislature is taking on a reform effort for the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, the state’s troubled insurance pool for high-risk coastal houses.

Crumbling Cliff Spurs Mega-Mansion Move

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:38:17 EST

Richard Schifter’s house-with-a-view sits on a beautiful Nantucket bluff. But the ocean isn’t bluffing — and now the cliff is crumbling under Schifter’s footings. So Schifter is hedging his investment and moving the giant house back from the edge of destruction — swimming pool and all.

Shore Protection Controversies Heat Up in NY and NJ

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:43:14 EST

On the New Jersey shore, well-off beachfront owners are fighting dune construction by public authorities. In New York, the situation is reversed: big-house owners are building their own dunes, over the objections of other townsfolk. The fight is less about the view than about the question: Who owns the beach?

FEMA Signals an Easing of Flood Maps

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 09:59:43 EST

FEMA is set to revise its recently released “advisory” flood zone maps for Staten Island, the agency has told local leaders. Many areas will change from V zones to A zones. Velocity zones in New Jersey, already incorporated into some towns’ zoning rules, may also shrink.

Outer Banks' Access Highway: It's an Emergency

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 02:30:41 EST

Battered by hurricanes and nor’easters, N.C. 12—the Outer Banks’ fragile lifeline—is on life support.

$700 Million in Katrina Elevation Grants Unaccounted For

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 02:37:29 EST

An Inspector General report says more than half a billion dollars in Hurricane Katrina relief money may have been misspent. Most Katrina victims who were awarded $30,000 apiece to elevate their houses never documented that the work was done.

Sandy Aid Money Not Yet Flowing

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 01:51:00 EST

Congress authorized funding for Hurricane Sandy emergency relief in January. But the actual money hasn’t started flowing yet.

Sandy's Flood Damage, Through an Engineer's Eyes

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 01:47:31 EST

An engineer investigating flood insurance claims sheds light on the mechanisms of damage.

Fixing Chinese Drywall: A Tampa Builder Hits Top Gear

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 02:29:53 EST

Carelessness helped create Florida’s Chinese drywall disaster. Cleaning it up is a job for a very careful builder.

Watching the Money: Post-Sandy, Authorities Eye Fraud and Mismanagement

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:24:57 EST

From small-time scams to major misappropriation of relief money, government is on the lookout for crooked use of rebuilding funds.

Crews Grind Away on Sandy Underwater Debris Removal

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:45:58 EST

In the Barnegat Bay, side-scanning sonar and “picker” boats are the tools for a tedious cleanup.

Florida Builders See Business Bouncing Back

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:24:26 EST

After a statewide tour, homebuilding market analyst Lesley Deutch reports: “Florida is on fire.”