NYC Weighs Buried Power Lines

The New York City Council has authorized a study to explore relocating utility wires underground in areas of the five boroughs vulnerable to weather.

Nearly two million New Yorkers lost power when Hurricane Sandy hit in October.

A bill, which the City Council approved in a 49-to-0 vote on Wednesday, would require the mayor's office of long-term planning and sustainability to determine where relocating the lines would work best.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the 51-member council would receive a report after a six-month study.

"Transferring existing overhead lines underground is an expensive proposition, and that's why it makes sense to identify specific neighborhoods that would benefit from this the most and to determine how much it will cost to relocate power sources in these areas," said Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

Staten Island and the Rockaway Peninsula section of Queens were especially hard hit during the hurricane.

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Infrastructure New York
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