FIA in OB

By Jeanne Lieberman

The Fire Island Association held its summer meeting at the Community House in Ocean Beach July 28^th to discuss one of the largest Public Service Works projects to take place on Long Island, concerning the economy the environment and the planet.

 

Rob Nager, of the Ocean Beach Association called the meeting to order saying “FIA is the backbone of this island to protect this wonderful land we live in”.

 

Ocean Beach Mayor Joseph Loeffler added “This organization is about you…its a tremendous organization and we are always happy to have them”.

 

Charming Congresswoman Ginny Fields, NYS Assembly, Fire Island District, said she is meeting with all Islip officials, Federal, State, City, Town and Village to come together to make government work.

 

 

Jerry Stoddard, Fire Island Association. “We really do need a large amount of people for support. Thanks to Tim Mooney of the Fire Island Taxis for making it easier for members to attend”.

 

Next up was Congressman Tim Bishop, now in his third term, whose district includes 1000 miles of coastline. His goals: first to “drive this project over the finish line (after 44 years), to drive the consensus which will be difficult due to the vast complexity of this multilayered project consisting of two federal agencies on the Cabinet level, two state , a city, five towns, seventeen villages” and so on. “The conclusion will not be all things to all – but we are looking for the ‘sweetspot’ to find where opinions converge” He continued “At the May meeting , the first time on Fire island, we laid out what was needed from each other…. The issue is complicated by the forthcoming election which will probably insert new people into the process.. The August meeting in DC will begin to close in on the way to move forward, how to implement the recommendations of one of the largest Public Service Works projects to take place on Long Island concerning the economy the environment and the planet”. He added he was “impressed with everyone involved”.

 

Joe Vietri, Director of Policy & Planning, North Atlantic Div. USACE,

Tells it like it is!

 

Energizing the discussion was the firebrand, loved/hated, blunt Joseph Vietri who stated the ACE was concerned with national economy and diminishing storm damage The project was defined by Vietri thus: The alternatives being considered range from Non Structural (house elevating, relocations) to environmental restoration (salt marsh creation, endangered species habitat creation) to of course Beach Fill. Current Beach Fill plans being evaluated would build a Dune 15 high and over 200 feet of beach the length of Fire Island with the exception of the large Federal tracts and the Wilderness Area. Other plans include Breach Contingency Response, management measures and Sand bypassing at the inlets.

Concerned with 3 departments: Environmental Protection, State Environmental Conservation, and an end to the spending with its restoration of natural  processes, letting nature take its course. “It’s a challenge to find where intervention is needed. It’s OK for some, not other parts of the 83 mile shoreline…whatever plan will not eliminate risks. There are new flood maps, sea level continues to rise, there are multilayered levels of protection. Its not about Fire Island its about Long Island and any plan has to deal with  200 miles of  coastline.As we continue to develop there is degradation of shorelines which interferes with natural flow of sediment. In a 30 – 50 year solution NECP will reduce financial outlay, relocating people out of flood areas, elevating homes, etc…The Regional and National level to take an increasing role shepherding the process through 2 months to focus.on getting the all the issues agreed on, to set aside differences. The State and DEC want to reduce level of protection over time with no more investment after 30 years.

He admitted “Fire Island is a unique challenge” revealing that other parts of the world have been solved while we continue to work on this.

“This is your last chance, no other shore/storm protection project is being done in the future. Man has left a huge imprint with marinas, homes, beach scraping (about which he does not approve). We’ve directly altered the national environment now we have to manage it. The day you see me buying a home out here is the day the project is going through”, concluding with “we’ve all managed to remain friends and that’s the biggest challenge”.

 

 

 

The meeting continued with the Superintendent’s report by FINS Sean McGinnis, Acting Supt FINS who wants to protect the environment and Chuck Bowman’s status report on Community Beach Projects.

“We need government by all regulations of every agency. Our job is to fit them all together: beach enlargement/scraping/houses/driving conditions. Thanks to Sean McGinnis and the FINS staff, Congressman Bishop, Sen. Schumer, Scully of the DEC. There will be a public hearing August 18^th in Brookhaven”