Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point New York Draft General Reevaluation Report U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New York District July 2016 This page intentionally left blank Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point Reformulation Study July 2016 1 Draft General Reevaluation Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction The Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point, New York Combined Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project (FIMP) was authorized by the River and Harbor Act of 1960. The project is being reformulated to identify a long-term solution to manage the risk of coastal storm damages along the densely populated and economically valuable south shore of Long Island, New York in a manner which balances the risks to human life and property, while maintaining, enhancing, and restoring ecosystem integrity and coastal biodiversity. There is a long history of damaging storms along the south shore of Long Island, as well as many efforts to mitigate the damages, including construction of several features of the authorized FIMP project that are described later in the report. The study area also includes critical coastal habitat and environmentally sensitive areas, such as the Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS). This current study is called a Reformulation, because it seeks to reexamine the project that was originally formulated in the 1950’s. This Reformulation came about in part due to a referral to the Council on Environmental Quality in response to the 1978 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that was prepared for the project subsequent to passage of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. As a result of the referral the Corps of Engineers agreed to reformulate the project with particular emphasis on identifying and evaluating alternatives that considers cumulative impacts on the overall coastal system. The goal of the Reformulation study is to identify an economically viable, environmentally acceptable plan that addresses the coastal storm risk management needs of the study area and is acceptable to the key Federal, State, and local stakeholders. Included within the study area is the Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS). The authorizing law for FIIS specified that any plan for coastal storm risk management within the boundary of the National Seashore be mutually acceptable with the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Army and the Department of Interior was signed in July 2014 that provides the foundation for “…developing a plan that is mutually acceptable for hurricane and storm damage reduction, including identifying and evaluating natural and nature-based measures that contribute to coastal storm damage risk reduction, in the Reformulation Study for the FIMP project.” (MOU, 2014 – See Pertinent Correspondence – Appendix L) Given the complex system and the large number of stakeholders, an Interagency Reformulation Group (IRG) was established to provide executive level leadership for the study from the key Federal and State agencies. The IRG developed the vision statement that identified the broad objectives for the study. In May 2009, a Formulation Report (USACE, 2009) was provided to the key government partners and stakeholders that identified the problems, opportunities, objectives and constraints, analyzed alternatives, and proposed several alternative plans for consideration. Based on the comments received and subsequent discussions among the stakeholders and the public, a Tentative Federally Supported Plan (TFSP) was jointly identified by the Corps of Engineers and the Department of Interior and submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the non-Federal sponsor, in March 2011. The TFSP identified a plan that met the study objectives and the requirements of both the Corps’ and DOI. Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point Reformulation Study July 2016 2 Draft General Reevaluation Report On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall near Atlantic City, NJ, where it collided with a blast of arctic air from the north, creating conditions for an extraordinary historic ‘super storm’ along the East Coast with the worst coastal impacts centered on the northern New Jersey, New York City, and the Long Island coastlines. Storm damages within the FIMP study area, including flooding, erosion, and wave damages, as a result of Hurricane Sandy were severe and substantial. There were three breaches of the barrier island (Figure 1), multiple overwashes, extensive shorefront damages, and extensive back bay flooding. Post-Sandy measurements of beach and dune volume loss on Fire Island indicated that the subaerial beach lost 55 percent of its pre-storm volume equating to a loss of 4.5 million cubic yards. A majority of the dunes either were flattened or experienced severe erosion and scarping (Hapke et al, 2013). Figure 1. Post Sandy Photo of the Breach in the Otis Pike Wilderness Area Due to the significant changes brought about by Hurricane Sandy, a reanalysis of the TFSP was undertaken to take into account these changes to the landform, development patterns, and risk. The post-Sandy TFSP plan was provided to New York State in May 2013, who agreed in concept with the plan. With sponsor support, the TFSP has been identified as the Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP), subject to refinement, based upon public and agency comment. The public and agency review process will also be the basis for finalizing a TSP that meets the requirement of being mutually acceptable to the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Interior. The Federal and non-Federal partners have agreed that there are Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point Reformulation Study July 2016 3 Draft General Reevaluation Report plan details that still need to be finalized. This GRR identifies several plan elements that will continue to be refined during the public and agency review process. This GRR will serve as the decision document for implementation of the reformulated FIMP project. As an “authorized, but unconstructed” project, the FIMP Reformulation study is being completed with funds authorized by P.L. 113-2 at full federal expense. Per P.L. 113-2, the initial project construction is eligible for 100% federal funding, subject to approval of the Report and execution of a Project Partnership Agreement. Study Authorization and Construction History The Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point, NY, Combined Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project (FIMP) was authorized by the River and Harbor Act of 14 July 1960. The authorization provides for beach erosion control and hurricane protection along five reaches of the Atlantic Coast of New York from Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point, a distance of about 83 miles, by widening the beaches along the developed areas to a minimum width of 100 feet, with berm elevation of 14 feet above mean sea level, and by raising dunes to an elevation of 20 feet above mean sea level, from Fire Island Inlet to Hither Hills State Park, at Montauk and opposite Lake Montauk Harbor. The original authorization also provides for the construction of up to 50 groins, grass planting on the dunes, interior drainage structures at Mecox Bay, Sagaponack Lake and Georgica Pond, and beach renourishment for a period of ten years after initial construction. This authorization has been modified by Section 31 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1974, and Sections 103, 502, and 934 of the WRDA of 1986 (P.L. 99-662), which modified the cost- sharing percentages and the period of renourishment. As mentioned previously the reformulated FIMP project is also eligible for funding under P.L. 113-2, which would be at “full federal expense” for initial construction. Construction of two (2) groins in East Hampton in the vicinity of Georgica pond (Reach 4) were completed in September 1965. Eleven groins in Westhampton Beach (Reach 2) were completed in 1966, with an additional four (4) groins completed in 1970. Due to severe erosion in the community of Westhampton Dunes located west of the Westhampton groins, an interim project was approved in 1995 that provided for a beach berm and dune, tapering of the western two existing groins, construction of an intermediate groin between the two, and periodic renourishment for up to 30 years. Initial construction was completed in 1997 and renourishment took place in 2001, 2004, 2008, and also in 2014, following Hurricane Sandy, utilizing funding per P.L. 113-2. An Interim Breach Contingency Plan (BCP) was approved in 1996 that authorized the Corps to respond quickly to close breaches within three (3) months. The BCP was used following Hurricane Sandy to close two breaches of the barrier islands at Smith Point County Park, and at Cupsogue County Park. An interim project was also approved in 2002 for beach nourishment along 4000 ft. of the vulnerable shoreline immediately west of Shinnecock Inlet, which was constructed in 2006. Following Hurricane Sandy, this area was renourished in 2013, utilizing funds appropriated through P.L. 113-2. Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point Reformulation Study July 2016 4 Draft General Reevaluation Report Utilizing funding from the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-2), the Corps in partnership with New York State has undertaken stabilization efforts on Fire Island and in Downtown Montauk, in order to reestablish a protective beach and dune in vulnerable areas. These projects were approved in 2014, and construction initiated in 2014. Construction of the Downtown Montauk Stabilization Project was completed in 2016, construction of the Fire Island Inlet to Moriches Inlet (FIMI) Stabilization Project is scheduled to be completed in 2018. Problems and Opportunities Problems: Intensive development has occurred in the study area, which has resulted in structures, infrastructure and people at risk due to coastal storms. In addition, the natural coastal processes that include longshore, cross-island and bay shoreline sediment transport and estuarine circulation have been altered, which has impacted the natural dune and berm features, their resiliency, and ecological functioning of the coastal ecosystem.