Dear Danielle,

Welcome to our September newsletter, and a first hello from me! As my first month at CCOM comes to a close, I wanted to express that I’m thrilled to bring my experience in marine science, coastal adaptation and sustainability to efforts at CCOM, and to be part of a truly special team. I also wanted to extend my thanks to the folks at The East Hampton Press for such a wonderful welcome to the community in their feature this month of my new role. I’m humbled to have received this warm welcome, and excited to help carry out novel and ambitious projects to protect Montauk with the team here at CCOM.

I’m getting started at CCOM in an exciting season: Autumn is here! On land it’s a beautiful time of progress, and an important reminder of renewal as a natural evolution. In the sea, communities begin to shift, phytoplankton bloom, and organisms begin to move out of the nearshore environment further offshore or south along the Atlantic coast. Up above, birds begin their yearly trips to new homes for the season (the same can be said for some of our human residents) heading out on trans-continental journeys.

Hurricane season and recent Atlantic storms also remind us of the urgent action needed to protect our cherished coastal community. CCOM is pushing for the critical action we need to safeguard this place for us and our future generations. Consider supporting CCOM’s environmental projects and advocacy in our Online Auction. 100% of proceeds go towards protecting Montauk’s environment.

In this newsletter we provide the month’s updates on Ditch’s dune restoration project, a call to VOTE YES on the upcoming clean water proposition on the ballot, September water quality trends, town zoning code amendments moving to public hearing, and how to enjoy fish sustainably.

With gratitude and excitement for the future,

Rebecca Holloway | Manager of Environmental Advocacy

During the last month, there have been two important developments affecting Ditch Plains. On the positive side, East Hampton Town (EHT) has made solid progress toward planned dune restoration. However, there has also been severe, worse-than-usual beach erosion, increasing vulnerability ahead of the winter season.

Regarding proposed dune restoration, EHT has contracted professional engineering services from Coastal Sciences and Engineering Inc. (CSE) to construct and restore the dune at Ditch, with building anticipated to initiate before the winter this year, according to Town Board officials. EHT has just approved funding for CSE to carry out necessary updated surveys to inform precise volumes within the dune template, which will be the first step before reconstruction efforts begin.

Once surveys are complete, CSE and the town will lead a public presentation to inform the community. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest and greatest from EHT. CCOM will be contributing as professional partners, voicing community concern and supporting evidence-backed coastal planning research.

Disappointingly, in the last two weeks of September, we saw that a noticeable erosion event occurred at Ditch Plains, where a sand drop-off feature and exposed cobblestone is clearly visible when you step on the beach. CCOM continues to maintain the absolute urgency needed to protect Ditch and its essential dune, and support Town-led dune restoration efforts. We stand with the community in protecting this vital beach for our community.

We also keep in mind that tidal beaches regularly experience erosion (sand taken back to the sea) and accretion (sand build-up) variation naturally around high tide and wind events that occur year-round, and most prominently during storm seasons and in winter with our high seas. In the last weeks of September, we saw that the tides and winds came together just right to create this event of beach sand erosion at Ditch. Although this phenomenon is normal, the severity this time, so early in the season, makes Ditch Plains much more vulnerable than usual heading into the winter season.  CCOM is committed to keeping an eye on Ditch and the state of the beach this month.

With the fall, also comes the tail end of hurricane season. Hurricanes thrive with warm ocean water, and near-record Atlantic ocean temperatures, alongside other recent shifts in our climate system, favor tropical storm formation.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) predictions this year, updated regularly with the most recent evidence available, warned of an upcoming above-normal hurricane season. Predicted is an 85% chance of an above-normal season, meaning that for this year’s hurricane season we anticipate a total of up to 25 total named storms. Up to 13 named storms are forecast to become hurricanes, including 4 to 7 major hurricanes (category 3-5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). See this visual breakdown of hurricane categories. So far this year, we have had 5 hurricanes form in the Atlantic basin, according to the National Hurricane Center.

You may have noticed some road construction last week on NYS Route 27 in front of Puff ‘N Putt. New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) was replacing an old problematic outfall pipe, that was discharging directly into Fort Pond. This project was approved to move ahead in 2022. The EHT Natural Resources Team advised the NYSDOT to consider removing the antiquated storm drainpipe and develop an alternative upland plan combined with advanced treatment per the guidelines of Phase II MS4 program from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The NYSDOT worked on a solution to collect stormwater from the south gutterline located to the west and direct it to an existing upland outfall inside of Kirk Park to limit direct discharge to Fort Pond.

The significance of this location is that it is at the low point of Rt. 27's profile and the State's focus was to correct drainage deficiencies and control flooding at multiple locations to promote safer traffic movement. CCOM will continue to closely monitor water quality results on the south side of Fort Pond to see if improvements are evident.

Our water truly makes Montauk and our East End communities the place we love. But we have a vicious wastewater pollution issue, and the biggest culprit is our outdated septic systems. Next month, residents have a rare chance to make waves in improving the quality of our local water.

Voting YES on Ballot Proposition 2, the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, is critical as it will secure clean, healthy water, from our drinking water and our agriculture water, to the ponds, lakes, and oceans where we work and play.

The Act will issue tax-free grants to residents to replace polluting septic systems with the latest wastewater infrastructure and clean water technology, increasing property values, strengthening our local businesses, and creating thousands of jobs at the same time.

With your vote, the Act will create a fund for this vital upgrade, financed by an 1/8 of a penny increase to the county sales tax. Supporting this choice is historic, and as Newsday’s Editorial Board article emphasizes, our residents have notably stood up to support local environmental legislation time after time… but we can’t let up now. We urge you to spread the news!

This month, our water quality improved in September’s early weeks with drier than expected conditions, then, in the last two testing weeks we saw slightly elevated bacteria levels and spikes in a few areas likely due to rains, tides, and wind direction. See our detailed weekly reports, and our site map. Our work is made possible by our dedicated Blue Water Task Force team at CCOM and individuals who contribute their time year-round, like Jane Weissman and CCOM's VP of the Board, Jessica James.

This month, the EHT board and community gathered at Montauk Library in a third work session for proposed amendments to the EHT zoning code. After hearing from community members and groups, including CCOM, the EHT board decided to move the zoning changes to public hearing.

Environmental Committee board member Rich Silver delivered our message: “CCOM commends the Town for what it has achieved. We acknowledge the complexity and challenges. We see an urgency of moving forward as soon as possible in light of the rapid pace of development and its negative environmental consequences.”

The Zoning Code Amendment Changes will close key loopholes in the code, and add edits for clarification. As councilwoman Cate Rogers pointed out, this “code is a living document." We are hopeful that new changes will result in positive zoning decisions in accordance with the town’s sustainability and growth management commitments such as those in the Hamlet Report and Town of East Hampton Comprehensive Plan.

We stand alongside community members at the meeting who passionately voiced their concerns about unfettered development. CCOM has been present throughout this process to advocate for proposed positive changes to our community and curb environmental degradation from overdevelopment. 

What fish is the best to buy at the grocery store that is healthiest for the planet and healthiest for us? Best practices includes opting to skip imported fish, and instead choosing fish from local fisheries. Local fish are fresher, subject to less packaging and preservatives, and have higher levels of nutrients. Choosing local is choosing to love our planet! Buying local cuts down on the carbon emissions associated with long-distance transportation. Additionally, local fisheries often follow more stringent regulations on sustainable practices, supporting healthier ecosystems and reducing overfishing. It’s a fun adjustment to tune in to what fish are in season, and choose accordingly, if you don’t do so already!

The Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program (CCE) provides fantastic tools to use, through their Choose Local F.I.S.H (Fresh. Indigenous. Sustainable. Healthy) initiative, including their site that lays out local fish species and a map to find your closest fish market  carrying locally caught fish. Their site even has recipes for inspiration! Enjoy!

Start your holiday shopping early this year by supporting our mission by participating in our online auction! All donations are 100% tax deductible, and all proceeds to benefit CCOM’s environmental programming. CCOM's auction will specifically fund initiatives such as expanded continuous water quality monitoring.

See our full event calendar here on our website, and follow CCOM’s Instagram @preservemontauk for live invites and coverage on our ongoing events. 

East Hampton adopted a townwide cleanup day, participating in National CleanUp Day on September 21, with a coordinated effort from Montauk to Wainscott. It is our second year honoring the Cleanup Day. The Town’s Litter Action Committee (LAC) pushed to organize the event, promoting vital stewardship. 

Every order comes with a free tote bag too! Check out our website's SHOP PAGE.