For the past seven months the Army Corps of Engineers, as part of a groin/jetty project in the Rockaways, has put a staging site within 50 feet of my condominium on Beach 116th Street beach area which has 93 apartments. Every day huge trucks drop enormous boulders in close proximity to my building. In addition smaller trucks have created mountains of mid size and slightly larger rocks, creating a mountain of ever increasing size. The vibration is felt in our beds and in our chairs, especially for those working at home. There are many young children and elderly residents who are being forced to deal with dust particles within the confines of their apartments. As the weather warms up, B. 116 which is the business hub of the community and the most used beach by down for the day visitors will not be able to use the beach during the week. The site will be covered with the vehicles and sand and rock mountains as well. So----the busiest beach in the Rockaways will be shut down and local businesses will be greatly affected.
We've been told by the new manager that the site is being re-structred to move it a bit further East. That waqs two weeks ago and it seems like the site is moving closer to us and our building. This morning six trucks simultaneously released their quarry of rocks, causing swirling particles and thunderous noise. That doesn't account for the extra large trucks that drop the huge boulders mid-site. They begin their work at 7 a.m. and end at 3 five days per week. The particles are scraped, transferred to smaller trucks and while doing so, the swirls of rock dust mixed with sand and dirt travel onto the boardwalk area and ever so close to our building. Our apartments are constantly dust filled and we are forced to use air purifiers. We have been told that the work will be continued through the summer. This means that we will be unable to open our windows or sit outside as woe would be breathing in dust parfticles which chould be extremely dangerous. Signs that are posted say the groin project will continue to June 6, 2024---not very welcome news to those of us living with noise, vibration and dust particles. On my last walk on the boardwalk I noticed one vibration monitor placed nowhere really in the midst of the work swite. I do not see any monitor of the air quality or dust particles. We keep hearing that the area will be moved slightly to the east in a restructuring attempt to remove the annoying and possibly health threatening effects of the dust particles. We know the jetties are necessary for our shoreline, but placing this dust-filled, noisy and constant vibration so close to 93 families plus other building is dangerous. Is there a monitor to test the particles in the air. We know they've put one small vibration monitor, but do not see any particle monitor. We need an objective company to test the air. I wanted to call the Enviornmental Protection Agency but as they are a government agency as is the Army Corps of Engineers, I'm not sure anything can be done.
