{
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	"version": "1.0",
	"provider_name": "Action Network",
	"provider_url": "https://actionnetwork.org",
	
	"html": "<link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/keep-new-york-in-new-york?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-keep-new-york-in-new-york' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div>",
	"author_name": "IFPTE Local 98",
	"author_url": "https://actionnetwork.org/groups/ifpte-local-98",
	"title": "Keep New York in New York!",
	"thumbnail_url": "https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/letters/photos/000/441/472/normal/Don&#x27;t_Break_Apart_USACE.png",
	"description": "As fellow stewards of this government, we are also concerned with providing the best value to the American taxpayer. As such, we understand the spirit of Assistant Secretary of the Army Adam Telle&#x27;s decision to move our agency from New York City as this city is notorious for its high real estate costs. However, this well-meaning move could inadvertently lead to extreme cost increases for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as dangers to the public. We see in countless successful NYC business institutions the recognition that the investment in a NYC location is justified because the connection with one of the world’s economic power centers is too important of an opportunity to miss. A USACE presence in all communities also gives us local expertise, timely emergency response time, and reduced costs for project-related travel. A move to New Jersey will cause a substantial loss of our Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island-based employees. Not only will the attrition cause huge delays and retraining costs for crucial projects such as Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point (FIMP), but will also significantly increase operational costs as personnel will have to, for example, cross the East River to conduct site visits, perform community outreach, respond to emergencies, and hold public meetings. We are within walking distance from a majority of the state and local agencies that are stakeholders in our projects. Our office’s proximity to the New York Harbor also greatly benefits the work we do assuring reliable shipping routes for the busiest port on the East Coast. To move us from this city would slow down collaborative efforts between local authorities and the federal government, which is a crucial element of all of our projects. Our district has served this region dutifully through emergency events such as 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, and COVID-19. Our staff has deep ties with these communities that have been cultivated through decades of dedication and hard work. To this end, our union members have many alternative solutions that will achieve the cost savings you aim for without sacrificing our capacity to serve the public. We agree that this decision must be made as soon as possible, and we urge all of you to stop this office relocation implementation until we can agree on a solution that doesn&#x27;t hurt the American Public.",
	"url": "https://actionnetwork.org/letters/keep-new-york-in-new-york"
}