That project, which is already authorized for construction, according to Schumer, would provide dune protection against a 100-year storm for seven of the nine miles of public shoreline between Jones Inlet and East Rockaway Inlet, including the communities of Point Lookout, Lido Beach and Long Beach.

Schumer said that the federal aid would allow the corps to finish its designing and planning, sign a project agreement with the state and city and begin construction.

In December, the City Council unanimously approved a measure to revisit the Army Corps plan, renewing a debate among residents who are for or against the plan. “At this point we’ve made it clear to [the Army Corps] that we’re receptive to having a dialogue with them,” Mandel said. “… [B]ut nothing is being finalized. It is a challenge, and we welcome public input, and without question we have to get the project up and running. It is something that is going to be carved out of the community’s collective ideas, however, it’s premature to say what the final picture is going to be, because we have to see what we’re dealing with when we completely remove the boardwalk itself.”