Politics & Government

Storm Debris Cleanup Moves Along

Town of Huntington's highway department says downed trees more than double those felled by Irene.

Three weeks after Hurricane Sandy smacked Huntington, the Town Highway Department has removed more than 101,000 cubic yards of debris.

The figure, complete through Sunday, is nearing the equivalent of the contents of nearly 7,000 dump trucks, Huntington Town Councilman Gene Cook said. Cook, who runs a contracting business, said a dump truck can hold about 15 cubic yards.

“Thank God for William Naughton and the great team he has,” Cook said of the town highway superintendent.

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The department estimates that more than 2,500 trees were brought down, compared to the estimated 1,100 felled by Hurricane Irene last year.

“We are 36 percent complete with the first pass through our streets,” the department’s own website says. It invites residents to check the Debris Cleanup Map.

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“This is a monumental task and we are very appreciative of your patience during this time,” the site said. “Our employees have been working everyday since the storm hit. Due to safety concerns we are only working in daylight hours.”

Town of Huntington residents wanting to contact the department about the storm can call 631-499-0444 or email sandy@tohhighway.com


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