Rep. Lee Zeldin: Emergency dredging set for Moriches Inlet

The buildup of sand on the jetty at Moriches Inlet, as seen on March 15. Credit: Newsday / Mark Harrington
The Army Corps of Engineers will perform emergency dredging of Moriches Inlet to remove heavy sand buildup from four recent nor’easters that has created dangerous boating conditions, Rep. Lee Zeldin said Tuesday.
Zeldin made the request last month for an emergency declaration to expedite dredging of the inlet, which feeds Moriches Bay and sits between Smith Point County Park and Cupsogue Beach County Park in Brookhaven and Southampton towns.
Four powerful winter storms created a buildup of roughly 300,000 cubic yards of sand clogging the inlet, which provides critical access to the Atlantic Ocean and serves as a key economic driver for marine-related businesses in the region.
“This emergency declaration is needed for boaters, for businesses, for public safety and for the environment,” Zeldin (R-Shirley) said in an interview. “There are tens of thousands of people who need this work done for one reason or another.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the project is expected to cost $18 million, but there is not enough money available in the Army Corps of Engineers’ work plan budget for the entire project.
“Now that we have successfully made the case as to the need of this critical dredge, the next step is working aggressively to secure federal dollars that will allow the Army Corps to actually get it done,” he said.
The order allows the Army Corps to begin coordinating funding and permits with other federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Coast Guard and the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
It also is needed to comply with federal and state laws in order to determine a permanent location to dispose of the sand, officials said.
The Army Corps is expected to issue a request for proposals in coming weeks for a dredging vessel to perform the work. Agency officials Tuesday declined to speculate on a price tag for the federally funded project or a time frame for completing the work.
“We look forward to performing the work to restore Moriches Inlet to its federally-authorized depth in the near future, which will make it safe and usable for the residents of Long Island,” Col. Thomas Asbery, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers New York District, said in a statement.
Zeldin last month also called on the Army Corps to perform emergency dredging of Moriches Bay and the Long Island Intracoastal Waterway. Those requests remain under review, said Army Corps spokesman Hector Mosley.
The Coast Guard has advised against boat travel through Moriches Inlet since mid-March because of significant shoaling, with mariners encouraged to seek alternate navigable routes. Buoys in the inlet are not being maintained, and navigation aides have become unreliable because of shoaling, the agency said.
Joe Tangel, owner of King Cod Fishing in Center Moriches, has been transiting Moriches Inlet for 20 years and said it’s in the worst condition he can remember.
“It is a great relief for boaters and fishermen in the area to know that something will finally be done to ensure our safety and economic viability,” Tangel said.
Moriches Inlet last had an emergency dredging after superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.