UPDATE: Army Corps Montauk Beach Project To Go Forward

UPDATE: Monday, 3:38 p.m.

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers construction work along a 3,200-foot stretch of Montauk shoreline will continue despite several lively protests on the beach over the past two weeks calling for it to stop, and a packed Montauk Playhouse at the town's last work session with residents denouncing the construction work.

On Monday, East Hampton Town released a statement saying that the project would go forward, but would be monitored, adding that the board has listened to those opposed to the project and has taken their concerns into consideration.

Supervisor Larry Cantwell responded to requests from residents last week by making inquiries to the Army Corps about the implications of pausing and possibly modifying the project. But on Monday, he said the move would be too risky, given the threat of erosion from future storms like Hurricane Sandy of 2012.

"It can’t be emphasized enough that the current project is an interim protective measure until FIMP can finally be completed and the long-term stabilization solutions can be implemented," said Mr. Cantwell, referring to the Fire Island to Montauk Reformulation Study that is expected to offer a long term solution in the next few years. "We will do everything in our power to cooperate with our federal, state, and county partners and strongly advocate that the preferred sand-only stabilization project be authorized, funded, and implemented as soon as possible."

Other East Hampton Town Board members agreed.

"The Town Board is charged with the responsibility of protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the Town of East Hampton. The Town Board cannot ignore the specific findings made in the Corps’ environmental review, nor can it ignore the Federal Court’s rationale in protecting the public’s interest by undertaking this project," Councilman Peter Van Scoyoc said in Monday's release.

"The calls to cancel this project are well meaning, but simply not in the interest of public safety. We recognize a sand-only project is the preferred option, but it was rejected by the Army Corps for this interim project and won’t be an option until FIMP is implemented," added Councilman Fred Overton.

State Assemblyman Fred Thiele and Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman both agreed that the project should move forward.

"I believe the town made the right decision in allowing the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed with the emergency project. Moving forward, we need to focus on working with all partners to ensure that under FIMP, an appropriate long-term coastal erosion management plan and soft, large-scale beach re-nourishment project are fully realized," said Mr. Thiele.

Mr. Schneiderman said, "The current reinforced dune project should not be looked at as an end product, but rather as a means to an end. In a few years, a wide sandy beach will be constructed in front of the dune. Under this federally funded project, sand will be dredged from off shore and pumped onto the beach. The current project is necessary in the interim period to protect all of downtown Montauk if a major storm strikes. After the beach has been constructed, the current project will not be necessary and can be removed."

ORIGINAL STORY

While the Town of East Hampton awaits additional information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Downtown Montauk Emergency Stabilization Project and mulls the idea of halting the work, a protest took place on a Montauk beach on Sunday afternoon where construction has been going on for the past couple of weeks.

Those opposed to the $8.9 million project, which will construct a seawall of sandbags along 3,200 feet of shoreline to temporarily protect Montauk's downtown and several hotels that line the beach, say the artificial revetment will cause further erosion. They are also concerned that a natural sand dune was excavated to make way for 14,000, 2,000-pound geotextile sandbags, which will be placed by the Army Corps.

A Change.org petition has been started and had more than 400 signatures as of Sunday afternoon. A Facebook page called Stop the Corps, Save the Beach has more than 1,100 followers. A flier was posted on the page advertising Sunday's "community protest" at 2 p.m. at South Edison Beach.

Members of the local environmental group Defend H20, the local chapter of The Surfrider Foundation and others were critical of the project early on. Defend H20, the Army Corps and the Town of East Hampton are currently in litigation over stopping the construction project.

Supervisor Larry Cantwell said he reached out to the Army Corps last week to request information about the costs associated with discontinuing the work.

"We were asked if the project could be paused. And I'm just following up on that question," Mr. Cantwell said on Sunday morning, adding that he has been meeting with the Army Corps, along with state officials, the DEC and the town's attorneys, to discuss the project going forward and whether it could be paused and modified. "I'm trying to assemble the facts of what options are available to the town, if any, and respond to the question that was asked," he said, referring to inquiries made at the last town board meeting. "The board can't make a decision based on a guess. We've got to know what the facts are. There are still some questions that have to be answered that will be answered on Monday," he said. "I'm doing our due diligence to the extent that we need to do that."