The Village of Port Jefferson will receive $3,750,000 for the East Beach Bluff Stabilization project via the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation program thanks to the work of village officials and the efforts of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to ensure the funding was included as part of the FY23 federal budget agreement signed into law last week by President Joe Biden. The Village initially applied for this Congressionally-Directed Spending through Senator Schumer and former Rep. Lee Zeldin.
The East Beach bluff has been experiencing severe erosion for over 10 years. Although the beach that fronts the bluff was providing moderate protection during high tides it has suffered severe erosion due to sea level rise with the toe of the bluff losing significant sand causing the top embankment to retreat significantly.
Recently the Village commenced work to stabilize the East Beach bluff building a significant bulkhead, tow armor and rock revetment system. The project also incorporates the re-vegetation of the bluff itself using natural and nature-based features, biodegradable coir logs and native plantings to stabilize the bluff face and restore the natural bluff.
The chronic erosion at the site is threatening upland development owned by the Village of Port Jefferson including the Village Country Club, Golf Course Clubhouse, adjacent tennis courts and accessory structures with the top edge of the bluff now only a few feet away from the foundation of the community building and associated features around it.
If immediate measures to combat and stop the erosion are not implemented, the building foundation will get exposed, will lose structural support, and slowly but surely will fail causing significant structural damage first, followed by complete collapse of the building and sliding down the slope.
The monies now secured with the assistance of both Senator Chuck Schumer and former Congressman Lee Zeldin’s offices from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will allow the Village to proceed with the installation of an upper wall support system at the top of the embankment seaward of the building and accessory structures providing long term structural support to the building and other amenities at risk. The wall will be built using steel sheeting driven into the ground at a minimum length of 30 feet to achieve a point of fixity. The sheeting will require a structural tie back system to offset the heavy weight of the embankment. Once the wall is up, the building will be protected from erosion for many decades to come.
Margot Garant, Mayor of the Village of Port Jefferson said: "It has been our contention from the very beginning that the Country Club facility was an amenity that benefits the public at large worthy of being saved and a valid project for the appropriation of the Homeland Security pre-disaster funds. We are forever grateful that Senator Schumer and Congressman Zeldin secured the funding for our local community."
Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the U.S. Senate Majority Leader, said: “The new year is off to a great start in Port Jefferson, as I secured $3.75 million in funding for the village in the federal budget bill that I just shepherded through Congress. This money will fund efforts to stabilize the crumbling East Beach bluff, where village recreation facilities are currently threatened due to the chronic erosion. I worked to secure funding as soon as Mayor Garant reached out to me, and I am glad that with her partnership we have obtained this funding – not only to preserve village assets, but to ensure public safety and protect residents’ pocketbooks.”
The Village has put the project out for BID and has the appropriate approvals from the DEC and hopes to commence the project in Spring of 2023.
For further information and to see a presentation of the study, please go to www.portjeff.com/eastbeachbluff.