Battered by recent storms that rivaled Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Suffolk’s south shore beaches are getting state and federal funds to repair the damage and better protect the mainland from future events.
Coming to Long Island for a press conference with local officials, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $5 million for shoreline stabilization at Brookhaven Town’s ocean beaches and repairs to Overlook Beach in Babylon. She also promised funds to repair damage and clean up debris at the state’s Gilgo Beach Park, where the storms uncovered the remains of an old Coast Guard Station. Approximately 50,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed at the park entrance and other access points to make the beach safer for the summer season.
Also responding to the massive erosion caused by the recent coastal storms, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Army Corps of Engineers will begin an “expedited process to address the extensive damages,” a move that could open the door for federal disaster assistance monies.
Two back-to-back blows earlier this month scoured south shore beaches and piled up water in Mastic Beach and other low-lying communities, causing flooding worse than what was suffered during Sandy, officials said.
“There’s nothing left to protect the mainland,” said Mastic Beach Fire Commissioner Bill Biondi, who expressed concern over the condition of Fire Island. “Some areas are completely flat,” he said of the barrier beach that was leveled by Sandy. A breach east of Smith Point had been slowly filling in with a wide swath of shallow sandbars. Even so, the area floods during high tides and completely washed through during the recent storms, Biondi pointed out.
“Restoring the south shore of Long Island is of huge concern because it protects us from flooding caused by these huge coastal storms and nor’easters,” said Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, who represents the Mastic Peninsula where the heaviest flooding was experienced. “We need to keep working with our state and federal partners to make sure the mainland is protected and this great natural resource is preserved.”
“The projects announced today will help repair shoreline damage, protect communities and important recreation assets from severe weather events, and create jobs that boost local economies,” Gov. Hochul noted, adding that the monies will flow from the state’s $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. She was joined in making the funding announcement at Overlook Beach by Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer, and Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey.
“Long Island communities are all too familiar with the destruction caused by extreme weather,” the governor continued. “In addition to New York’s actions to combat climate change, we are taking action to ensure our communities, homes, and infrastructure are resilient and will withstand the coastal storms happening now. I’m committed to continuing our close partnership with the Army Corps and local officials to protect Long Island.”
The state is providing $3 million to support beach replenishment to protect the barrier beach communities of Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove, where the protective dunes have been undermined and homes are hanging on the edge. While repairs by the Army Corps to the western portion of Fire Island are now well underway to address erosion damage that first started in 2019, there remains a high risk that another significant storm will cause additional catastrophic damage in many Suffolk County coastal communities, the governor reported.
The state is also providing $2 million to the town of Babylon to protect existing park infrastructure at the town’s Overlook Beach at Cedar Beach. The beach pavilion and playground are currently in danger of being washed out to sea. The funding will help support the elevation of the pavilion and prevent the playground and other recreational assets from being damaged by future storms and beach erosion.
“Each year, we face the dire reality that we will lose more of our shoreline, creating a public safety emergency while also affecting the billions in tourism dollars that are generated by hundreds of thousands of visitors visiting our world-famous beaches and historic villages and landmarks,” said Suffolk County Executive Romaine. “Governor Hochul’s promise of aggressive action to combat this issue will no doubt assist us in preserving an entire way of life that has personified Long Island for generations.”
Presiding Officer McCaffrey added, "It is much more than restoring the beach. It is about protecting the Ocean Parkway and the mainland from the Atlantic Ocean. These steps are essential toward protecting the South Shore and our very way of life."
According to Brookhaven Town Supervisor Daniel J. Panico, “When it comes to storms, the barrier island is the first line of defense for the mainland, so we thank the Governor for the allocation of these resources in furtherance of replenishment. However, we must address this issue as a region and must end the seemingly endless cycle of emergency scrambling and instead embark on a regional plan because the frequency and ferocity of these storms have exposed the fact that the current approach may be untenable.”
Earlier this month, Governor Hochul announced a resiliency plan to protect New Yorkers from extreme weather as part of her 2024 State of the State Address and included $435 million in her Executive Budget proposal to help implement the initiatives. Highlights include:
Creating the ‘Resilient & Ready’ Program to establish a flexible fund to support resiliency efforts for low- and moderate-income homeowners ahead of future storms. The program will enable State Homes and Community Renewal to assist households that experience flood damage to make necessary repairs in the aftermath of storms and will cover the cost of proactive flood mitigation improvements.
Creating the $250 million “Blue Buffers Voluntary Buyout Program” to encourage buyouts in communities most vulnerable to flooding.
Making major investments in statewide disaster response to put more boots on the ground, improve training and preparedness, and address evolving threats as they come.
Update Coastal Erosion Hazard Area (CEHA) Maps, which are essential to the protection of beaches, dunes, and bluffs that maintain and enhance flood resilience, so that communities and permit applicants quickly determine if a property is within a CEHA.
“The voter-approved $4.2-billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act is helping to support these and many other initiatives, including leveraging funding for water quality improvement and resilient infrastructure,” Hochul said. “The Bond Act is advancing historic levels of funding to update aging water infrastructure and protect water quality, strengthen communities' ability to withstand severe storms and flooding, reduce air pollution and lower climate-altering emissions, restore habitats, and preserve outdoor spaces and local farms. Disadvantaged Communities will receive at least 35 percent of the benefits of Bond Act funding, with a goal of 40 percent. For more information about the Bond Act, go to www.ny.gov/BondAct.