Support Funding for Water Quality Improvements
Launch Date: August 01 2016
Completion Date: November 08 2016
Status: VICTORY!
The goal of this campaign is to get voter support for a ballot measure to extend the successful Community Preservation Fund in the five east end towns of Long Island and allow up to 20% of the funding to be spent on water quality improvement projects.
US Army Corps of Engineers’ Downtown Montauk “Stabilization” Project
Launch Date: October 09 2014
Completion Date: November 2015
Status: Loss
On Thursday, October 9, 2014, Eastern Long Island Chapter of Surfrider Foundation staged a protest of the Army Corps of Engineers’ proposal to construct an artificial dune on the publicly owned beach in downtown Montauk. The proposed work includes placing 14,000 sand bags – each weighing 1.7 tons – along 3,100 linear feet of the ocean intertidal zone seaward of the existing motels and seaward of the natural primary dune line in that area. The bags will be covered with a layer of sand and planted with beachgrass, a cosmetic touch that coastal geologist Rob Young describes as “the lipstick on the pig.”
Reflected wave energy from the geotextile bags will quickly erode the public beach. The motels were constructed many years ago on top of the existing primary dune, destroying that precious natural resource. This proposal will compound the mistakes made in the 1960s and 1970s: it will result in the destruction of the beach in addition to the already destroyed primary dune.
All blog posts about the Downtown Montauk Stabilization Project
Save Ditch Stop ED40
Launch Date: July 2014
Completion Date: June 2016
Status: VICTORY!
The iconic East Deck Motel in Montauk property sold for $15 million in 2013 to new owners who planned to concert the property to a members-only beach club. Nestled directly behind one of the most popular surf spots in Long Island, Ditch Plains, the project is an affront to all the issues the Surfrider Foundation works on. The chapter made a strong argument for the town instead building a park at this location, as Montauk is already confronting the consequences of building its downtown motels in a flood hazard zone. Surfrider managed to convince the owner of East Deck to sit down with the town of East Hampton to talk about the possibility of purchasing the land, but the price was too large for the Town.The chapter led the opposition to the project and successfully convinced local government to stop the expanded use of this property
All blog posts about Saving Ditch, Stopping ED40
Trailer Park Revetment
Launch Date: Winter 2013
Completion Date: Summer 2013
Status: VICTORY!
Blog Post about Trailer Park Revetment
A rock revetment was installed in front of the the Montauk Shores Condominiums at Ditch Plains during Winter of 2013, that not only restricted beach access but also accelerated the erosion of sand at Ditch Plains. The following summer for a period of time Ditch was closed to bathing due to the danger of rocks. It turned out that the rock sea wall violated the terms of the permit. Surfrider members incessantly called the Department of Environmental Conservation, who later determined that the sea wall was “significantly wider and higher than authorized.” The contractor was fined, and the revetment was scaled back.
Maintain Beach Access at Dolphin Drive/South Flora Park
Launch Date: October 2014
Completion Date: unknown
Status: unkown
Letter to East Hampton Town Supervisor
Say “No” To Liquid Natural Gas Facilities
Launch Date: June 2005
Completion Date: December 2008
Status: VICTORY!
The Chapter has joined a large environmental coalition opposed to the Broadwater Liquefied Natural Gas facility proposed for the middle of LI Sound. Broadwater is opposed by all local state and federal legislators. The chapter has submitted comments in opposition to the Broadwater plan to FERC, the Governor, the NY Department of State and our legislators. After three and a half years of persistently expressing legitimate concerns, Long Island¹s voice was acknowledged! On Thursday, April 10th, Governor David A. Paterson formally announced that Broadwater was found to be inconsistent with the Long Island Sound Coastal Management Program (LISCMP) and thus should NOT be permitted in Long Island Sound.