LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION urging the United States Army Corps of Engineers
to undertake emergency dredging at Montauk Harbor inlet

WHEREAS, The shoaling at the inlet into the mouth of Montauk Harbor has
grown more dangerous because of this winter's series of severe storms;
and
WHEREAS, The ingress and egress of commercial fishing and other
vessels into and out of Montauk Harbor is seriously affected by these
increasingly dangerous conditions affecting both the public safety as
well as the local economy; and
WHEREAS, Shoaling in Montauk Harbor inlet has become a chronic prob-
lem; in 1999, and again the following year, the shoal grounded the drag-
gers, First Light and Jason and Danielle; the First Light was destroyed
and the Jason and Danielle narrowly escaped capsizing; and
WHEREAS, After the Jason and Danielle near tragedy, the inlet received
its first major dredging in years; approximately 48,000 cubic yards of
sand were pumped from the channel and deposited along the beach at
Soundview; and
WHEREAS, The Montauk Harbor inlet was dredged in 2004 and again in
2009; and
WHEREAS, In order to resolve the problem at the Montauk Harbor inlet,
dredging needs to be undertaken to restore safe navigation of the chan-
nel and sand bypassing must be undertaken to remove the glut of sand on
the East side of the inlet to mitigate the impact of its flow into the
Montauk Harbor; such material obtained from dredging and sand bypassing
must be deposited to restore the beaches on the Soundview side which
have eroded due to the blockage of the natural flow of sand caused by
the inlet; and
WHEREAS, The next dredging of the Montauk Harbor inlet by the United
States Army Corps of Engineers is not scheduled until 2013; and
WHEREAS, Emergency dredging by the United States Army Corps of Engi-
neers of the Montauk Harbor inlet will not only ease the public safety
concerns of the commercial fishing industry but also provide relief for
the property owners suffering from increasing erosion west of the inlet;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
respectfully urge the United States Army Corps of Engineers to undertake
emergency dredging and sand bypassing at Montauk Harbor inlet with the
placement of the material generated by dredging and sand bypassing to be
used to restore the beaches on the Soundview side; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the United States Army Corps of Engineers.