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I have some fantastic news to share as we go into the weekend!
Today the US Army Corps of Engineers reversed itself and declared that the island’s east end beaches, including the Pines, have qualified for an emergency repair project. An announcement was made by Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Governor Hochul.
This is a great, landmark victory that seemed virtually out of reach last year, as storm after storm eroded our beaches and the Corps rejected one application after another. It is a tribute to the hard work a lot of people have put into making it happen.
It is important to understand what this means and does not mean. The Army Corp does not turn on a dime, and has multiple steps it must now take. It has to design a scope of the work, ensure it has the funding for it, and contract with a dredging company to perform the work. If the agency can repair our beaches this spring it will be a great accomplishment.
That still leaves us in a precarious state until the cavalry arrives. Many oceanfront houses are standing at the precipice of disaster today, as most of the dunes on the west end of the Pines have washed away. We are working hard with federal, state and local government officials to launch a stopgap project of some sort that will get us through in the short run. There are many ideas that are being explored, and none of them comes without the requisite government obstacles. But there is a lot of momentum these days, and there are a lot of people at every level of government working hard to help us.
This has been a great week for the Pines in this epic battle. The governor announced $3 million in funding to help protect our beach, and now the Army Corps has agreed to conduct a large-scale repair project. If we can secure short-term protection we will be able to breathe a lot easier. I will report back when we learn more.
Best,
Henry
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