NEW YORK — Hurricane Irene didn’t prove to be the New York City flooding nightmare forecasters had feared.
But a year after the storm’s center hit Brooklyn as a tropical storm, some elected officials and community groups are pressing for an evaluation of whether sea barriers make sense for New York.
The city has been gathering information. Officials stress barriers are only one of many ideas under study.
Some scientists have discussed the barrier idea for years. A 2009 academic conference featured conceptual designs from engineering firms.
Advocates note that experts estimate the city could face a surge as high as 25 feet in some hurricane scenarios.
Some scientists and engineers feel barriers could create a false sense of security and raise environmental and social-equity questions.
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