DESCRIPTION: The authorized project provides for hurricane protection and beach erosion control along five reaches of the south shore of Long Island between Fire Island Inlet and Montauk Point, a distance of approximately 83 miles.
The project also authorizes Federal participation in periodic nourishment. The Non Federal Sponsor is the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).
In 1978, the Department of the Interior (DOI) supported by other agencies referred the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the authorized project to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) as unacceptable.
In June 1978, CEQ recommended project reformulation to the Chief of Engineers, who in turn directed the District to reformulate the project. Reformulation was originally initiated in 1980; however, because of difficulties between the Federal, State and County in proceeding with the Westhampton reach, which at the time was the most vulnerable reach of the authorized project, the Reformulation was suspended. Based on letters of intent to support an interim plans, the Reformulation study was resumed in 1994. Work on the Reformulation study is currently ongoing, with several interim projects already constructed for critical vulnerable areas.
AUTHORIZATION: The project was authorized by the Rivers and Harbors Act of 14 July 1960 in accordance with House Document 425 and subsequently modified by the River & Harbor Act of 1962, and the Water Resources Development Acts of 1974, 1986 and 1992.
In response to the 2012 Sandy event, P.L. 113-2, The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, provided the required Federal funds to complete the Reformulation study and to complete authorized initial project construction, including stabilization efforts, at 100% Federal cost.
ASA (CW) Final Approval; Record of Decision; and Congressional notification were completed on 25 Sep 2020.
The PPA was provided by USACE Headquarters and was executed with the Non-Federal sponsor September 2021.
STATUS:
FIMP Contract-1 and Contract-2: Dredging of Fire Island, Shinnecock and Moriches inlets and shoals with and placement on Gilgo Beach and Robert Moses State Park was completed April 2023. Contract-4 is scheduled for award in Aug 2024, and contract-3 in June 2025. Work at Downtown Montauk originally programmed for contract-3 will be accomplished this winter under the FIMI PL84-99 Emergency Response contract.
Previously completed work:
SOUTHAMPTON to BEACH HAMPTON: 2 groins constructed at Georgica Pond in 1965.
MORICHES INLET TO SHINNECOCK INLET: 11 groins constructed in the Westhampton Beach area in 1965. Additional 4 groins with beach and dune fill placed west of the 11-groin field in 1969-1970. The Westhampton Interim Project, which included groin modification and beach fill within and west of the 15-groin field, was completed in December 1997. The West of Shinnecock Interim Project, which includes beach fill west of the Shinnecock navigation channel, was completed in March 2005.
Current ongoing study effort:
FIRE ISLAND TO MONTAUK POINT (FIMP) REFORMULATION STUDY: The goal of the Reformulation Study is to identify storm risk management within the overall study area. This effort was completed at 100% Federal expense. The Chief's Report was signed on July 9, 2020. After all A Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) was executed with the State of New York in August 2021, with subsequent local agreements with NYSDEC. Initial construction of the various recommended FIMP project features at 100% Federal expense are underway. Future renourishment would be executed with 50/50 Non-Federal Partner cost share; the PPA for this is under development at HQ USACE.
Interim and Stabilization Efforts:
State, local and congressional interests requested that USACE provide immediate remedial actions for critical vulnerable areas. These interim and stabilization actions will be modified, as necessary, based on the ultimate recommendations of the Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMP) Reformulation Study.
BREACH CONTINGENCY: Provided a mechanism for rapid breach closure of the barrier islands through the 83-mile project area. A Breach Contingency Plan was approved in February 1996. Under the approved Project Cooperation Agreement, USACE was authorized to execute specific PPA’s with the State of New York in order to close breaches immediately after coastal storms.
The Sandy storm event of October 2012 resulted in damages to Long Island's barrier beaches. This event breached the barrier island in several locations on Long Island, specifically at Cupsogue County Park and Smith Point County Park, leaving the area vulnerable to significant damages.
On November 2, 2012, the State of New York formally requested emergency assistance from USACE to activate the Breach Contingency Plan.
Emergency contract actions were issued for both areas. The Cupsogue breach was closed on November 27, 2012, and the Smith Point breach was closed on December 7, 2012. Sandy also caused a third breach within the Fire Island Wilderness Area (Old Inlet area). This breach is currently open, with ongoing monitoring by NPS underway to determine if the breach will close naturally or if it will be necessary to close the breach via a contract action.
WESTHAMPTON INTERIM PROJECT: Provides interim protection to the Westhampton Beach area west of Groin 15 and affected mainland communities north of Moriches Bay. The project provides for a protective beach berm and dune, tapering of existing groins 14 and 15, and construction of an intermediate groin (14a).
The project also includes periodic nourishment as necessary to ensure the integrity of the project design, for up to 30 years (thru 2027). Beachfill for this interim project also includes placement within the existing groin field to fill the groin compartments and encourage sand transport to the areas west of groin 15. Initial construction was completed in December 1997 at an approximate cost of $20 million.
The project has performed better than anticipated in terms of anticipated cost, project performance and beneficial environmental impacts.
The first renourishment effort was completed in February 2001 ($5 million).
The second renourishment effort was completed in December 2004 ($4.5 million). A portion of the third renourishment effort was completed in February 2009 ($9.5 million). In response to 2012 Sandy damages, P.L. 113-2, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 funded construction for restoration of this project to its original design template at 100% Federal cost. This construction contract was completed October 2015.
The project’s fourth beachfill renourishment contract was awarded on 30 September 2019 to Weeks Marine Inc. for $22.3M. An estimated contract quantity is 1.2M cy of sand based on survey performed on February 2019. The contractor started construction on 26 November 2019 and completed in March 2020. Required coastal and environmental monitoring efforts continue every year within the Westhampton project area.
WEST OF SHINNECOCK INTERIM PROJECT: Provided interim protection to the area immediately west of Shinnecock Inlet up to 4,000 feet westerly, which is a potential breach area. The project was intended to provide protection until implementation of Reformulation Study recommendations. This interim project consisted of initial beachfill placement, with 2 anticipated renourishments, for a period not to exceed 6 years (thru 2011). The placement of sand in this area enabled future maintenance dredging of Shinnecock Inlet to bypass sand past the influence of the inlet. Initial beach fill placement was completed in March 2005 at an approximate cost of $4.3 million.
No renourishment efforts were ever completed due to lack of funds. This Interim project is considered complete, until a new recommendation is made by the Reformulation Study, or a new decision document is prepared which would approve the extension of interim nourishment efforts. An emergency contract for P.L. 84-99 rehabilitation of this project, which was damaged by both the Irene and Sandy events, was completed by USACE in January 2013, placing approximately 300k cy of sand west of the inlet to repair the project to pre-storm conditions. In conjunction with this contract, a Memorandum of Agreement was executed between the USACE and NYS for placement of an additional 124k cy of material at Tiana beach. In response to 2012 Sandy damages, P.L. 113-2, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 funded the construction for restoration of this project to its original design template at 100% Federal cost. This work was completed March 2014, placing an additional 450k cy of sand in the project area. An emergency FCCE project working January through March 2020, utilizing P.L. 84-99 funds for rehabilitation of approximately $10.7 million added approximately 600k cy of sand due to threat of imminent inlet breaching resulting from storms in October 2019.
POST-SANDY ONE-TIME STABILIZATION EFFORTS: USACE and the State of New York developed one-time stabilization plans along the Fire Island barrier island and at Downtown Montauk. These stabilization efforts were one-time placement projects and include no nourishment cycles. The efforts are meant to provide storm management until the implementation and construction of final recommendations of the overall FIMP Reformulation Study.
DOWNTOWN MONTAUK STABILIZATION: The Downtown Montauk Stabilization Project consists of a one-time construction of reinforced dune with geotextile bags. The Project Partnership Agreement was executed with the State of New York in March 2015. The project was completed and turned over to the sponsor for operation and maintenance in May 2017.
FIRE ISLAND STABILIZATION: The Fire Island Stabilization Project consists of a one-time sand placement along Fire Island, from Robert Moses State Park to Smith Point County Park. The Fire Island Stabilization HSLRR and EA were approved July 2014, with a Project Partnership Agreement executed with the State of New York in August 2014.
The first construction contract at Smith Point County Park was completed April 2016.
The second construction contract at Robert Moses State Park through Saltaire was completed July 2016. The third construction contract at Fair Harbor through Seaview was completed November 2017.
The remaining contracts focus on the Fire Island communities from Ocean Bay Park through Davis Park. The site preparation contracts for demolitions and relocations in Ocean Bay Park through Davis Park were substantially complete as of July 2019. The final beachfill contract of the FIMI project located at Ocean Bay Park through Davis Park was substantially complete in June 2020. The Project’s final contract for relocation of the Ocean Beach water utility was awarded in August 2020.
AUTHORIZATION: The project was authorized by the Rivers and Harbors Act of 14 July 1960 in accordance with House Document 425 and subsequently modified by the River & Harbor Act of 1962, and the Water Resources Development Acts of 1974, 1986 and 1992.
In response to the 2012 Sandy event, P.L. 113-2, The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, provides the required Federal funds to complete construction of this Project at 100% Federal cost.
CONTACTS:
For questions and information regarding FIMP:
Mark Lulka
Project Manager
P: (917) 790-8205
Email: FIMP-Info@usace.army.mil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
Programs and Project Management Division
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278