Cap-And-Trade - Delayed Reaction

            A very good documentary chronicled what happened on the barrier reef protecting Moriches Bay of Long Island, NY.  What was so interesting is that about 60 years ago a hurricane cut an inlet through the barrier reef between what is now South Beach and Westhampton Beach. Here is a picture.

             You see the inlet that a hurricane caused? They loved it because boats didn’t have to go so far to go out to sea. The Army Corps of Engineers {ACE} advised residents to close it up before South Beach washes away. No, some people don’t listen to reasoned opinions. They want to enjoy it now, and whatever happens 20 or 30 years later, that’s someone else’s problem. Politicians enable voters who are shortsighted by satisfying their immediate needs to stay in power and future problems will not be on their watch.

            Years later after many plans were discussed and trashed, ACE advised residents of Westhampton Beach put jetties on the Eastern side to catch the sand, and they would have to start nearest the inlet. No, the people on Westhampton Beach knew better. Westhampton Beach residents wanted to start putting the jetties up beginning on the Westerly end. ACE advised against it. Westhampton residents and politicians ignored reasoned expert advice.

            In the end after billions of dollars were spent “fixing” the problem, not as the ACE wanted, but as the local, county and state politicians wanted, billions of dollars of private property on South Beach washed into the sea and the waters of Moriches Bay were salenated and bay aquatic life was destroyed.

            August 1979 data. After the groins (jetties) were constructed the data show that shoreline erosion of 2 to 3 meters (6.6 to 9.8 feet) per year within and updrift of the groin field was reversed after groin construction; shoreline erosion downdrift (west) of the groin field accelerated to at least 28 meters (96 feet) per year. That would be South Beach. By the mid 80’s most of the homes on South Beach were washed out to sea.

            Now let’s talk about what cap-and-trade and universal healthcare will do 10 years from now.  Or should we just wait and see?