Hello!

January and February flew by fast for us. Thank you to everyone who contributed to CCOM’s success in 2022. Whether you participated in our end-of-year matching campaign (we exceeded our goal!), or are a new member, we thank you for your support and look forward to working together to advance our 2023 goals. Behind the scenes, we are working hard to plan our events for the year. Stay tuned for some exciting announcements.

Sincerely,

The future of science is looking bright! The annual Montauk School Science Fair was held on January 27th with over 100 student projects. The projects were evaluated and scored by a panel of more than 20 judges representing regional science and environmental organizations such as CCOM, Peconic Estuary Partnership, The Nature Conservancy, South Fork Natural History Museum, East Hampton Town Shellfish Hatchery, Surfrider Eastern Long Island, and the Peconic Baykeeper.

CCOM president Laura Tooman handed out $700 in cash prizes from CCOM to the winners in grades 5-8 at the awards ceremony held on February 16th.

“There’s nothing better than engaging with Montauk’s youth,” noted CCOM President Laura Tooman. “These kids are the future of Montauk, and it’s important we invest in fostering tomorrow's environmental stewards.”

CCOM is pleased to announce that applications are being accepted for our annual Peter Lowenstein Memorial Scholarship.

The $1,000 scholarship honors Peter Lowenstein, a long-term and much-beloved CCOM Board Member. This scholarship will continue Peter’s legacy by investing in Montauk’s next generation of environmentalists.

Requirements for student applicants:

East Hampton High School students must contact the EHHS Guidance Office for application instructions. Eligible students enrolled in other local schools may contact CCOM directly for instructions. The application deadline is March 10th, 2023.

CCOM has been a tireless advocate for the preservation of Montauk’s environment and open space. In addition to our land preservation work, we have fought for water quality protections and comprehensive wastewater solutions for the Montauk community for many years.

Nutrient-rich wastewater can exacerbate harmful algal blooms, pollute drinking water, and impact shellfish, fish, and wildlife populations. In the summer months our water quality program often detects bacteria and algae levels that excceed what the New York State Department of Health considers safe for human health.

CCOM is committed to helping create a comprehensive wastewater plan for Montauk. We stand willing to work with the Town and concerned community partners and will continue to assess options and proposals through detailed analysis.

We encourage you to view the following information if you haven’t already:

Help us combat balloon pollution! We will be kicking off March with a Balloons for Beach Bags Contest.

The rules are simple:

1. Find a trashed balloon

2. Send a picture of it either by tagging us on social media, sending us a direct message, or emailing us at Info@PreserveMontauk.org.

Whoever finds the most balloons will win a CCOM beach bag filled with some merch and other cool prizes! Be sure to throw the balloon in the trash or it doesn’t count.

The contest will run from March 1st-31st and winners will be announced shortly after.

If you missed our February 16th Montauk on My Mind virtual open house, don’t worry, we have you covered! You can view the recorded February webinar, here.