A view of Peter Scott's bluff in Nissequogue in May...

A view of Peter Scott's bluff in Nissequogue in May 2015. He installed fences and a black "erosion blanket" to protect the cliff from erosion. However, by 2016, harsh weather and earth movement had undone his efforts. Credit: Peter Scott

The editorial “Climate change rolls in” [Jan. 17] points out that costal communities are vulnerable to serious storms and erosion. The editorial mentions South Shore areas, but not the problems with municipal fiefdoms of the North Shore.

The Suffolk County Legislature formed the North Shore Erosion Task Force to encourage cooperation. In my experience, the process to get erosion protection takes too long, and there are too many agencies.

I’m still awaiting a decision about a rock wall recommended to prevent erosion at my property. The state Department of Environmental Protection took a year to approve a wall. However, despite engineering evidence of significant property loss over three years, the Village of Nissequogue’s Joint Coastal Management Commission denied the wall protection for me and three neighbors because it didn’t fit the village waterfront revitalization program.

As a result, the proposal has gone to New York’s Department of State and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Homes on coastal bluffs and beaches should be allowed protection from erosion. I’m not asking for government assistance, just the right to protect a stretch of my beach property at my expense.

Peter Scott, Nissequogue

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