Dear Danielle,

Welcome to our June newsletter! In this edition, we'll share updates on recovery efforts at Ditch, water quality monitoring, Harmful Algal Bloom testing in Fort Pond, winner of the Peter Lowenstein scholarship and our upcoming events.

We hope to see you all at our Beach Cleanup tomorrow Sat, Jun 29 from 10am - 1pm at CCOM's office and our Summer Soirée at Gurney's Montauk on Wed, July 17!

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.

On June 17, the Town of East Hampton (EHT) announced in a PRESS RELEASE the commencement of the much anticipated Ditch Plains beach sand replenishment project. This two-phase, carefully crafted project addresses the severe damage caused by the three consecutive nor’easters that blew through Montauk this past December and January.

Phase one focuses on restoring the beach to provide a safe recreational area, including the placement of two lifeguard stands. The project bid for 5,800 cubic yards of sand and sand placement was awarded to Southampton Excavation and Site Development, LLC at approximately $300,000. The work began on June 17 and was completed on June 26 (see PRESS RELEASE). Compatible white sand approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) was secured for this project.

Phase two 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.

A packed audience of 100+ attended CCOM’s Coastal Resiliency Forum at the Montauk Library on Sunday, June 9, both in-person and online. Moderated by CCOM Board Member Andy Harris with a 6-member panel comprising coastal experts, elected officials, and community leaders, the presentations and discussions covered current and future plans to reduce our vulnerability and facilitate adaptation to our changing environment. Please click HERE for a recording of the forum and the presented material.

Since 2013, CCOM has been leading Montauk’s effort to address the impact of climate change on our coastline and our community, including our 5-point call to action. Your voice is essential in addressing this crucial issue, and we encourage your review of the forum and look forward to your questions at: Info@PreserveMontauk.org.  

Special thanks to our presenters, the Montauk Library for hosting, and LTV Studios for their facilitation of the live broadcast.

We are celebrating 11 years of water quality monitoring this month. Our partnership with Surfrider Foundation’s nationwide Blue Water Task Force in 2013 arose out of concern for declining water quality in our local waters. We started testing enterococcus bacteria levels and our first sample taken was from West Creek in Lake Montauk on June 6. Since then, the program has expanded immensely, and we now work year-round in partnership with the Surfrider Foundation Eastern Long Island Chapter and Peconic Baykeeper to monitor over 70 water bodies on the East End.

Enterococcus is bacterium that exists in the intestines of warm-blooded animals (birds, humans, and other mammals). Excess amounts are dangerous for humans and the environment. 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.

Enterococcus is bacterium that exists in the intestines of warm-blooded animals (birds, humans, and other mammals). Excess amounts are dangerous for humans and the environment. 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. Click HERE to understand our program in detail and check out our LATEST RESULTS weekly in the summer and monthly in the off-season.

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

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. The kickoff to this year’s sampling was May 28 and continues weekly until September.

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.

As we enter the summer months, HABs were first confirmed on May 29 from a sample taken in Wainscott Pond. HABs were also reported in nearby bodies of water on June 20: Poxabogue Pond (in North Sagaponack), Long Pond (in Sag Harbor and Sagaponack), Mill Pond (in Watermill) and Agawam Lake (in Southampton). Fort Pond is currently measuring low on cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae), but it is slowly climbing.  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.

Peter Lowenstein was a beloved CCOM Board Member who cherished Montauk’s environment and fought hard for many years to ensure it was protected. The Peter Lowenstein Memorial Scholarship continues Peter’s legacy by investing in Montauk’s next generation of environmentalists.

We presented the 2024 Peter Lowenstein Memorial Scholarship to Scarlett Flight during the East Hampton School awards assembly on June 6. Scarlett inspires the younger generation to care about the environment and community. She plans to attend Colgate University this fall with a major in History and a minor in Environmental Studies. At the top 10% of her class and a member of the National Honor Society, Scarlett is no stranger to hard work and dedication to her environment by participating in a science research internship, member of the Environmental Club, the Key Club, 100+ hours in community service work and so much more.

We’re very proud of Scarlett and all the other candidates this year. Good luck to you all!

Saturday, June 29 | 10am-1pm

Please join us on for a community beach cleanup. Stop by the CCOM Office first to pick up reusable burlap bags and gloves, then set out to your favorite beach or area in Montauk that you think needs a little extra TLC. All participants (of age) will receive a token for a free beer @ Montauk Brew Co. & free merch from CCOM & Montaukila!

RSVP's are NOT required.

SEARCH FOR MORE EVENTS HERE

Please join us for our 4th Annual Summer Soirée event on Wednesday, July 17 | 6-8 pm on the Spa Terrace at Gurney’s Montauk Resort and Seawater Spa, 290 Old Montauk Hwy., Montauk NY.

Guests are invited to enjoy a rooftop ocean vista with an open bar, lobster, shrimp, raw bar, and hors d’oeuvres.

Have kids? We’ve got you covered! Kids ages 5-12 are welcome to a free Movie Night @ Gurney’s Kids Club! (adult ticket purchase necessary). PURCHASE HERE

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

Meet up at the CCOM Office at 10 am, 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.

SEARCH FOR MORE EVENTS HERE

Just in time for the beach season, our merch is 25% off with code CCOM25. Every order comes with a free tote bag too! Check out our website's SHOP PAGE.