Hello!

As we soak in these last beautiful weeks of summer, I’ve been reminded of how lucky we are to live in a place where the ocean, bays, lakes, and ponds are at the heart of our lives. Protecting these waters isn’t just about the environment—it’s about preserving our community, economy, and way of life. From coastal resilience and water quality to healthy ecosystems and sustainability, we are making strides together, but there is so much more to do.

I invite you to join our Save Montauk’s Waters campaign and sign up as a Clean Water Steward today (more in the Water Quality section below)! Together, we can champion the fight to keep Montauk’s waters alive and thriving for the next generations to come.

With gratitude,

Rebecca Holloway

Rebecca Holloway | Manager of Environmental Advocacy

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched a powerful Sea Level Viewer that allows anyone—residents, planners, scientists—to see how sea level rise, more frequent flooding, and extreme tides could affect specific communities. By searching “Montauk”, you can explore how rising waters will likely impact our coastline, roads, and neighborhoods.

Click through the interactive maps to see the most up-to-date projections.

Because it’s built on decades of real-world measurements, this tool gives some of the most accurate projections available—helping decision-makers and residents understand what’s ahead and prepare. 

By 2050, the highest tides here are expected to reach about 3.5 feet above Mean Higher High Water (MHHW)—surpassing tidal levels of the severe winter storm flood Montauk experienced on January 13-14, 2024 (3.3 ft MHHW). Flooding of this magnitude, once considered rare, is projected to happen about once per year by 2050. Sea level overall by mid-century is expected to rise 1.1 to 1.7 feet, with the intermediate scenario being 1.4 feet.

The choices made today will shape Montauk’s future.

Stronger, immediate action to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions will limit future sea level rise. Known Montauk-specific resilience and adaptation strategies must be put in place (see the next section for more). In contrast, inaction will lead to more frequent and severe flooding in our community. The sooner we act, the better protected we, and the next generation, will be.

When Hurricane Erin brushed past Long Island last week, many of us held our breath.

We were lucky—its track stayed just far enough offshore. This visual below shows how closely Erin mirrored Hurricane Sandy’s path, missing the East Coast by just a sliver:

(CREDIT: WASHINGTON POST CLIMATE)

It’s a reminder that while our community and beaches were relatively unaffected this time, resilience planning through efforts like implementing the Town of East Hampton Coastal Assessment Resiliency Plan (CARP) is critical for the future. Stay tuned for a future Science Explained email breaking down recommendations for Montauk in CARP.

Don’t have time to read through the whole CARP report?

Start by checking out Section 2: Town Coastal Resilience Goals and Strategies (p. 52; p. 57), and see the recommenations for at-risk Montauk focus areas: Downtown Montauk, Ditch Plains, Fort Pond, Soundview Drive, Culloden Point, and The Docks.

Earlier this month, we kicked off our Save Montauk’s Waters webinar series with a presentation by Dr. Chris Gobler, hosted by staff member Rebecca Holloway. He shared early findings from his one-year study of Fort Pond, commissioned by CCOM, dug into the major drivers of water quality impairments and harmful algal blooms—like sources of nutrient pollution including outdated septic systems, and previewed the key questions his research will tackle over the coming year to guide solutions for restoring the pond’s health.

Missed the event? Check out the recording here.

The study will guide future revitalization efforts, helping us restore this community treasure. Learn more about Fort Pond and consider supporting our ongoing water quality programs that make this work possible.

CCOM extends a huge thanks to our supporters, old and new, who make this crucial step for Fort Pond a reality!

Become a key part of our Save Montauk’s Waters campaign. It’s simple: you pledge to take one or more easy, impactful steps to reduce pollution—and we support you every step of the way.

You’ll receive a Clean Water Steward sign for your yard and tools to help inspire neighbors. Actions include...

✅ Using organic fertilizers

✅ Upgrading your septic system

✅ Planting native flowers, trees, and shrubs

✅ Picking up pet waste

✅ Getting a rain barrel - redirecting downspouts to your garden beds or rain barrels

✅ Spread the word to a neighbor!

BECOME A CLEAN WATER STEWARD HERE

The pledge takes about a minute to fill out. Small changes, big impact.

On August 28th, CCOM partnered with the East Hampton Town Shellfish Hatchery and the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) to host a hands-on oyster seeding event. Led by "Barley" John Dunne (EHSEED), Rebecca Holloway (CCOM), and Rebecca Rogers (SOFO), 20 community members joined us on the water to seed oysters into the harbor from a boat and learn about local aquaculture.

Oysters are natural water filters, and these efforts like the seeding event help improve bay health while engaging residents in real restoration work.

You can learn more about oysters from a past LTV feature here.

Thank you so much to our partners for making this such a fantastic event! Stay tuned to take part in future hands-on sustainability events in coming seasons!

Governor Kathy Hochul visited Montauk this month to announce a $2.2 million investment in wildfire risk reduction at Napeague and Hither Hills State Parks. The three-year contract will continue the removal of Southern Pine Beetle-damaged trees, create a Risk Analysis and Fire Management Plan for Napeague and Hither Hills including prescribed burn plans, and—crucially—improve access and staffing for firefighters. Tree cutting will occur December through January in order to protect NYS endangered Northern long-eared bats.

As the Governor said, “One only has to look west to California or north to Canada to see the devastating impacts of wildfires. This is a safety issue.” CCOM invites you to learn more about the environmental drivers to the northern spread of the invasive Southern Pine Beetle and its devastating impact on Long Island forests.

Transportation makes up nearly 29% of U.S. carbon emissions (EPA). These planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions are the chief cause of the threats to species diversity, air quality, and the delicate balance of Earth’s climate.

🌱In Montauk, you can make a difference by choosing smarter ways to get around:

🚲 Bike or walk in town—Downtown Montauk and all of our wonderful East End villages and beaches are compact and bike-friendly, making short trips easy without a car (if your mobility allows).

🚉 Hop on the LIRR—Taking the Long Island Rail Road is about 80% cleaner than driving solo. MTA has even launched an "Avoided Carbon Calculator" on their mobile app, so you can track your green impact! And when you do need to drive, carpooling—to school, work, or events—can cut your emissions (and parking stress) in half.

✈️ Skip short flights—Flying is one of the most carbon-intensive choices we make; a single New York–Miami round-trip adds roughly half a ton of CO₂ per passenger (Our World in Data). That’s roughly the same as driving a pickup truck from Montauk to East Hampton twice a week all summer—June through September.

Let’s ride our way to a cleaner, healthier Montauk!

Kudos to our community members for taking the time to do their part! We had a number of residents come in during our open house hours who inquired about and applied for Town of East Hampton, Suffolk County, and NY State Septic upgrade grants. We continue to encourage folks to apply if there is even the slightest chance in the future that you plan to upgrade. We’re here to help guide you through the process.

Email us (info@preservemontauk.org) to schedule an informational meeting or check back with us in the spring for another open house opportunity!

Menhaden—also known locally as “bunker”—have shaped Montauk’s history and remain ecologically critical to our waters today. Once central to the East End’s now shuttered fish oil refineries, these small, silvery fish are far more than just a commercial catch. They sustain marine life as a vital food source and play an overlooked but essential role in water quality by filter feeding on plankton.

CCOM’s Rebecca Holloway recently joined Stony Brook University master’s student Dean Hernandez and his adviser, Dr. Joseph Warren, on WLIW-FM’s Heart of the East End with Gianna Volpe to discuss menhaden ecology, history, and ongoing aerial surveys that track local populations.

Want to learn more? Check out the following on menhaden:

• Montauk Library: Menhaden and Montauk’s Refinery History
• Video: Why Menhaden Matter
• The Most Important Fish in the Sea (book by H. Bruce Franklin)

🎧 Listen to the full conversation on Apple Music.

We’re looking for new year-round volunteers to help test local Montauk waters through our Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) program. Check out our Montauk sampling locations on this map! Live in Sag Harbor or Northwest Woods? We’re also looking for folks to help drop off water samples from sites in your backyard to Montauk. 

It’s a small, weekly (One or two Monday mornings per month in the off-season) time commitment with a big impact—reach out to volunteer with BWTF today, or tell a friend who might be interested!

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