Majority Statement

• Honorable John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV

  Chairman

  U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
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  Majority Statement

  Honorable John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV

  WASHINGTON, D.C.--For a few harrowing days in October, Hurricane Sandy inflicted devastation on the Eastern United States. As we all watched, and some of us experienced, Sandy wreaked havoc on a massive swath of our country – focusing its anger on the Northeast. 

  While the Northeast bore the brunt of the storm, the rest of the country was not spared.  Tragically, more than 120 people died as a result of the storm, including 6 in my home state of West Virginia. In West Virginia, the storm packed a two-fisted punch of heavy snow and high winds, knocking out power for 200,000 customers and coating roads with ice. Some regions got more than a foot of snow and some narrow roads are still hard to cross. My office was in touch with emergency responders during the storm, and I commend their efforts to keep the people of West Virginia safe in such difficult conditions.

  Far from the glare of the national spotlight, the storm caused serious damage throughout West Virginia, particularly when coupled with the many other natural disasters this year.  I’m fighting to make sure West Virginia is not overlooked in a disaster relief package so that we can continue to help the families, communities, and businesses still trying to recover. 

  Recovering from such a devastating storm won’t be easy – or cheap.  Sandy caused about tens of billions of dollars of destruction, and many of our nation’s most vital transportation systems were affected by the storm.  That’s what we’re here to discuss today.  The storm halted Amtrak’s long-distance service through West Virginia, and the agency’s busy Northeast Corridor was shut down for days.

  Amtrak and other transportation agencies had to deal with damage from downed trees, heavy flooding, and the loss of power to their systems. I applaud not only their quick response to the storm, but also the vast amount of preparation that took place as Sandy approached.  However, there is a long way to go before we restore the transportation network to its pre-Sandy condition. 

  Before Hurricane Sandy, our nation’s transportation system was already starved for investment. After the storm, the needs are greater and the amount of money to spare is limited. I encourage Congress to quickly pass comprehensive and robust federal assistance for damages relating to Sandy. Whether the funding is included in the 2013 budget or is brought as a supplemental relief package for Hurricane Sandy, it needs to reach affected communities as soon as possible.

  I also commend the National Weather Service for providing accurate and advance notice of Hurricane Sandy’s path, allowing communities and families the time to prepare. Every minute of advance warning we had saved lives.  However, we must ensure that the agency has the computing capacity and tools to predict the severity of future storms. Just this year, we’ve seen funds cut for a vital hurricane research program and weather forecast modeling. Two of the agency’s three planes used to track hurricanes need repair.  As the nation heals from this storm, we need to continue investing in repairs and improvements to prepare for the next.

  Today’s hearing has a distinguished panel of witnesses that is well-equipped to describe the effect of Hurricane Sandy on their agencies and to transportation in the Northeast. Most importantly, I hope our witnesses can describe how to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure in a more resilient way.  Thank you Chairman Lautenberg for holding this hearing and thank you to our witnesses for being here today.

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• Honorable Frank Lautenberg

  Chairman

  U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
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  Majority Statement

  Honorable Frank Lautenberg

  “Good morning.  I welcome everyone to today’s hearing, which I called to address the devastating impact Superstorm Sandy had on our region’s transportation systems.  Sandy hit squarely in our nation’s most densely populated area—which is home to the largest and most widely used public transportation network in the country.

   

  “The storm did unprecedented damage to our transportation system.  Estimates of the damage have reached more than seven billion dollars.  Across the region, train tunnels, stations, and rail yards were flooded; rail tracks were damaged; and critical equipment was ruined.  We see a jarring example of that in this picture, where a boat and shipping container are strewn across New Jersey Transit tracks.

   

  “Roads and bridges were also damaged and littered with debris.  And the Holland Tunnel—which carries thousands of vehicles each day into New York City—was flooded.

   

  “The damage to our infrastructure didn’t just cause structural problems—it shut down our region.  For many commuters, getting to work became a long, arduous, and expensive experience.  You can see why from this picture, which shows flooding at the Hoboken PATH station.

   

  “With limited transit and rail access to New York, some New Jerseyans suffered multi-hour commutes at two and three times the normal cost.  Or they were forced to sit in endless traffic, as crossings into and out of New York became jammed with traffic.

   

  “Damage to our transportation system also had severe economic impacts.  A prime example is the Port of New York and New Jersey—the largest port on the East Coast, which supports more than 550,000 jobs in the region.  Because of extensive flooding, dangerous debris in the waterways, and damaged electrical systems, the Port was largely shut down for days—nearly grinding commerce to a halt.

   

  “And transportation in our region has a nationwide impact.  The millions of people throughout the country who ride our rails, drive through our state, or use products that come through our Port also felt the effects of Sandy.

   

  “While state and local agencies worked diligently to get our systems running again, many problems still need to be fixed.  And they can’t do it all on their own.  A storm of this magnitude requires a response with the force of the federal government.

   

  “It will take all of us working together to make sure that our infrastructure is more resilient and better prepared for the future.  One project that will help us get there is the Amtrak Gateway Tunnel project, which will add much-needed capacity into New York City for millions of Americans using New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains.  This modern tunnel would also be better protected against flooding, and provide an alternative route when disasters strike.  It would help prevent damage like in this picture—where the Hudson River tunnel that carries Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains was turned into a river.

   

  “Now, we must also remember that Superstorm Sandy is a sign of things to come. In this changing climate, the intensity of storms will increase, making extreme weather like Sandy more and more common. As we devote resources to recovering from this storm, we must invest so we are also prepared for future ones as well.  If we make those smarter investments on the front end, we can save a lot of money—and heartache—in the future.

   

  “Each of the witnesses here—my fellow senators from the region and our regional transportation agencies—have played critical roles in response to this storm.  I thank you all for your remarkable efforts to get our region up and running again and I look forward to hearing your testimony about how we can continue to do just that.”

   

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Testimony

• Honorable Charles Schumer

  United States Senator, New York

• Honorable Robert Menendez

  United States Senator, New Jersey

• Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand

  United States Senator, New York

Witness Panel 2

• Mr. Joseph Boardman

  President

  National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
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• Mr. Joseph Lhota

  Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

  Metropolitan Transportation Authority
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• Mr. Patrick Foye

  Executive Director

  Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
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• Mr. James Weinstein

  Executive Director

  NJ Transit
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