Dear Danielle,

Welcome to our July newsletter! In this edition, we'll share updates on recovery efforts at Ditch, July water quality trend, composting now available every Saturday in Montauk and kids and national beach cleanup events.

At CCOM we're working hard to move the needle for a sustainable future so our kids can enjoy what we grew to love. We’re grateful for your ongoing support and hope you’ll continue by donating. Your generosity continues to be critical to protecting and preserving Montauk’s environment.



Kind regards,

On Wednesday, June 26, Phase 1 of the much anticipated Ditch Plains beach sand replenishment project for 5,800 cubic yards of sand was completed and Montauk was back in full swing with the Annual Rell Sunn Surf Contest on Saturday, July 13.

Phase 2 this fall, is aimed at recovering the dunes to protect the residents of Ditch from breaches, flooding, and damage to homes and infrastructure. This phase is crucial for ensuring the recovery of the coastline and will be completed by the engineering firm Coastal Science & Engineering, Inc. A total of $1.75 million has been allocated by EHT in the capital budget for both phases of this project and a request for matching funds has been sent to New York State to assist with the cost.

One of the cherished things about the East End are the various water bodies that surround us and the different types of water activities we can indulge in. That’s why we take our water monitoring very seriously to keep our community and visitors safe. Check out our weekly water results here or @preservemontauk for urgent community updates.

You’ll notice that in the month of July, with rising temperatures, increased rainfall and increased traffic of visitors, our waters are taking on a dangerous trend of higher bacteria levels as indicated by the red dotted lines in the graphs below.

Please note that bacteria levels fluctuate often, like in Fort Pond Bay at Navy Beach Road this week. On Monday, 7/29 it tested at dangerous levels of 1,918 CFU, but then fell to a sharp decline, testing at low levels of 20 CFU on Wednesday, 7/31.

We recommend that you avoid any activity that involves direct contact with the contaminated water, with bacteria levels higher than 104 CFU. Do not consume the water or use it for cooking or bathing. Our ongoing water testing is critical to water quality improvement efforts; it provides the data needed to assess current conditions and to monitor and track the impacts and effectiveness of new projects.

This work is made possible thanks to dedicated concerned citizens, who volunteer their time year-round, like Jane Weissman, Jessica James and our team of summer interns. 

Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, are microscopic organisms that naturally occur in lakes and streams. In slow-moving waters, blue-green algae can multiply and “bloom” rapidly in response to sunlight, warming temperatures, and excess nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen). These blooms can produce toxins that have been linked to acute poisoning of humans, pets, and wildlife. CCOM, in partnership with the Gobler Lab at Stony Brook Southampton since 2018, has been monitoring blue-green algae levels in Fort Pond weekly for the past seven summers.

HABs were detected in Fort Pond South this week. Avoid contact with contaminated water in Fort Pond and keep pets and livestock away as well. Prohibit recreational activities such as swimming, boating, and watersports in Fort Pond until it clears. CCOM will test again on Aug. 5.

This month, HABs were also confirmed in Fort Pond North 7/8; Georgica Pond 7/15; and Agawam Lake 7/16. We have been advocating for nitrogen-reducing septic upgrades and reduced stormwater runoff for many years. We share our HAB monitoring results from Fort Pond and other water bodies on our social media and website. To keep track of HABs in your area, visit the DEC NYHABs Website.

It’s official! Thanks to Town of East Hampton, Rewild Long Island and volunteers, community food scraps composting drop-off in Montauk starts this Sat. at the Montauk Community Garden at the corner of S. Etna and S. Edison. Drop off your food scraps and spread the word to friends and family. Help move food scraps to food soil!

Food waste has become a problem on Long Island and throughout the U.S. In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency produced a report offering a comparison of what resources go into a year of food waste in the U.S. They showed that the impacts are comparative to greenhouse gas emissions of more than 42 coal-fired power plants; enough water and energy to supply more than 50 million homes; the amount of fertilizer used in the U.S. to grow all plant-based foods for U.S. human consumption; and an area of agricultural land equal to California and New York. Composting is one of the key ways we all can cut back on food waste. 

For more info, check out East Hampton Compost or ReWild Long Island for more info and to sign up. See the Town's presentation here.

CCOM participated in the Town of East Hampton’s “standing room only” 7/16/24, Zoning Code Amendment Work Group session. CCOM submitted comments of support about the need to  work with all stakeholders toward strengthening Chapter 255 of the Town of East Hampton Code, which governs zoning. CCOM emphasized the importance of a meaningful SEQRA process and acknowledges the Town’s long standing experience in this process. Click here to view the Zoning Board’s amendments. 

Wednesday, August 7 | 10AM – 1PM. Kids and parents are invited to join us for a plastics beach cleanup.

Meet up at the CCOM office at 10am, and then we’ll all walk to our backyard (the beach!) for a family beach cleanup. We’ll return to the office for craft hour to create one-of-a-kind mason jar piggy banks with mod podge, and found objects from the beach.

Did we mention we’ll have ice cream for participants?!!!

RSVP's are NOT required. Parents must accompany children during the beach cleanup portion.

SEARCH FOR MORE EVENTS HERE

On Wednesday, July 17th, Gurney's Montauk hosted CCOM's Summer Soirée! Over 200 guests attended, and a good time was had by all! Gurney’s graciously donated this entire event, so all proceeds will go directly to CCOM’s environmental programming.

Thank you all for coming and we hope you enjoyed your evening with friends and family. Thank you to everyone who attended. It’s your support that makes our work possible. Enjoy more pictures of the soiree taken by Renn Lieberman.

Saturday, September 21 | 10AM – 12PM

6 S. Elmwood Ave. Montauk

September is National Cleanup Month! Do you have a favorite spot in Montauk? Help keep it pristine by taking part in National Cleanup Day & East Hampton Cleanup Day!

Stop by the CCOM office anytime between 10am-12pm to grab some gloves, hand sanitizer & a reusable sack. The dumpster donated by Mickey’s Carting will be on site. No registration is required.

Not in East Hampton area? That’s ok. CLICK HERE to find a cleanup near you

Just in time for the beach season, our merch is 50% off with code CCOM50. Every order comes with a free tote bag too! Check out our website's SHOP PAGE.