Beach replenishment is set to begin in Montauk on Monday. It is part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to protect Long Island from coastal storm impacts.
The Fire Island to Montauk Point project, better known as FIMP, has been six decades in the making. It is meant to be a long-term solution to beach erosion, and better protect vulnerable downtown areas from flooding.
It will use around 450,000 cubic yards of sand to bolster dunes and extend the beachfront along 83 miles of Long Island’s shoreline. Dune grass planting, beach fencing and more, are also part of the project.
Officials say the Montauk portion should take about six weeks to complete. Periodic beach replenishment will be needed every three to four years, for three decades once the project is complete.
This comes less than one week after winter storms began pummeling Long Island’s south shore. Fire Island took the brunt of the damage, with two breaches created at Robin's Rest and Fire Island Pines.
Suffolk County and the towns of Brookhaven, Islip, Babylon and Southampton, have declared emergencies. County Executive Ed Romaine is urging the state of New York to declare an emergency so the county can be eligible for federal disaster aid.
