Ditch Plains residents plead for help from the federal government for their battered beach

Sand, fencing and dune grass is being brought in as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' renourishment project, which is part of a larger federal and state project to reinforce beaches from Fire Island to Montauk Point.

Thema Ponton

Jan 17, 2024, 1:49 AM

Updated 344 days ago

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People in Montauk's Ditch Plains community are raising concerns about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers all-sand beach renourishment project along the downtown Montauk coastline.
They want the project to be expanded to include Ditch Plains, which is to the east of the downtown beaches.
"Save Ditch, it's going to disappear." said Kay Tyler, with the group Concerned Citizens of Montauk.
East Hampton town Councilmember David Lys said it's necessary to protect all of Montauk, but he says shifting work to Ditch Plains isn't so easy. He said plans need to be drawn up.
"Let's make sure we have the project that's best suited for the long-term protection of the hamlet." said Lys. "We would need to make sure that we have engineered locations to be able to have the Army Corps of Engineers to come in, that's the process."
A spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers told News 12 that "there's more information coming" when asked about the pleas from people in Ditch Plains but did not give specific details.