|
The dawn of a spring season is always a moment to celebrate in the Pines, but this spring begins on an especially happy note. On Monday the Army Corps of Engineers officially approved a major beach restoration project, and disbursed $3.5 million to begin engineering and design work. The project will almost certainly take place this year, as early as this spring or as late as this fall.
That this day has come seems almost like a miracle. But in reality, it is a hard-won victory, a result of an intensive, year-long battle to get the Corps to drop its opposition and come to the rescue of much of Fire Island. The list of heroes is a long one, starting with Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Governor Kathy Hochul. But there have been other heroes at the state, county and town level, and in our community, who made this possible. I cannot wait to celebrate them all this spring.
Monday’s announcement came on the heels of the completion of another project to protect our community, an interim stopgap project that saw trapbags placed along the western half of the Pines beach and in other east Fire Island communities. That effort was its own battle, and galvanized its own list of champions, particularly in Suffolk County and Brookhaven, who worked feverishly to make it happen. Governor Hochul made it all possible with a $3 million grant, for which we are deeply grateful.
Our work is far from complete. There are still myriad logistics to be worked through before the Corps can begin its work. And then there is the matter of what happens afterwards.
The Army Corps is required to assess the state of the beach for renourishment every four years for 25 years, a wonderful concept that will in fact take a lot of work to realize. The imminent beach project is considered an emergency repair by the Corps, and the federal government is picking up the entire cost. Future, routine beach renourishments must be funded by a combination of federal, state and local monies, which will be a big lift to lock into place.
FIPPOA partnered with the Seaview Association and its president Tom Ruskin last winter to make this year’s projects happen, working in cooperation with the Fire Island Association and its leader Suzy Goldhirsch. Now the three entities have joined forces to ensure that future renourishments will not require a titanic battle each time. The three associations have retained the consulting firm Actum, whose political and public relations efforts on behalf of FIPPOA and Seaview were key to our victories this year. Its political and communications teams will work with us to navigate the political and governmental obstacles to future projects. We cannot kick the can down the road if we are to ensure the future of Fire Island.
I am looking forward to our spring meeting on Saturday, May 18th 10AM at Whyte Hall when we can celebrate our good fortune together.
All the best,
Henry
| 
