Cuomo: Everyone Chill Out
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s vacation was pre-empted for a spell by the 5.9 magnitude earthquake today, but told reporters on a conference call that the tremor produced no reported damage or injuries.
“We live in a natural environment,” Cuomo said. “And things happen.”
Cuomo stressed that the state was monitoring the situation and that no one should be concerned by any aftershocks.
Naturally, the discussion trended toward asking the governor about the state’s aging infrastructure, including the Tappan Zee Bridge and Indian Point nuclear plant, both in the Hudson Valley.
Both structures were inspected after the quake, Cuomo said.
“We specifically looked at both,” he said. “I’m familar with both. The bridge has been inspected and found no damage whatsoever and all reports on Indian Point found no damage whatsoever.”
Cuomo, both as attorney general and later as governor, has said he wants to find a replacement for Indian Point and even dispatched Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy to discuss the matter with the federal officials in Washington.
The Tappan Zee Bridge was one of the first places Cuomo visited as governor-elect, saying the state’s infrastructure needs to be upgraded. The span over the Hudson River that connects Rockland and Westchester counties (the latter of which is were Cuomo makes him home) is in dire need of replacement.
Cuomo himself said he didn’t feel the earthquake (that makes at least two of us, gov!), but said the people with him felt the ground move.
“I’m on Long Island, but I didn’t feel anything,” he said. “There were people who were with me, but I didn’t feel anything.”
| Print article | This entry was posted by Nick Reisman on August 23, 2011 at 5:39 pm, and is filed under Andrew Cuomo. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |
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