News Flash • Town of East Hampton Saves Montauk Inlet Dredgi

East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez announced today that the Town has allocated $1.1 million from its Host Community Agreement with South Fork Wind to fill a federal funding gap and ensure the dredging of Montauk Inlet moves forward, after Washington fell short on delivering the full commitment.

“Montauk’s fishing families depend on this inlet,” said Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez. “Their livelihoods should not be jeopardized by broken promises. When Congressman LaLota confirmed we were still $1.1 million short just days before the deadline, the entire project risked being canceled. The East Hampton Town Board refused to let that happen.”

The federal government committed $9.5 million, and the Town had already invested $1.5 million under its 2022 Project Partnership Agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE). But when bids came in higher than expected, the ACOE informed the Town that an additional $1.1 million was required. Federal officials set September 10 as the deadline to secure those funds in order for preliminary work to move forward. Without the Town’s intervention, the dredging would have been canceled, cutting off safe access to the harbor, threatening Montauk’s maritime economy, and undermining public safety. The window for dredging is October 15, 2025 – January 15, 2026.

“This was our one shot,” Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez emphasized. “If we had missed this, I had no confidence the project would ever get done.”

Congressman Nick LaLota had previously assured the community that the full dredge of Montauk Inlet to 17 feet would take place this fall, stating, “The dredge will return in the fall to dredge the inlet to a depth of 17 feet.” He also told fishermen that the project’s funding was secure, saying the dredge’s funding was intact despite the continued cuts to critical projects coming from Washington. In reality, the federal commitment fell $1.1 million short, leaving the work at risk of cancellation until the Town stepped in.
 
 “Congressman LaLota promised Montauk this dredge would be done and fully funded. When that promise fell short, it put our fishermen, our small businesses, and every recreational mariner who depends on this harbor at risk. East Hampton made sure this community was not left to pay the price for Washington’s failure.” said Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez.

The project at stake this fall is the long-planned ACOE Lake Montauk Harbor Navigation Improvement Project, which will deepen the channel to 17 feet. This larger project is critical not only to Montauk’s long-term maritime economy and coastal protection, but also to public safety. Montauk Harbor is the only deep-draft port between New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Cape May, New Jersey. It serves as a critical port of refuge for commercial and recreational vessels and supports Coast Guard operations that protect the entire region. Without regular dredging, access to this harbor of refuge is compromised, putting lives, commerce, and coastal resilience at risk.
 
 Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez noted that the Town was able to act quickly because of the Host Community Agreement (HCA) with South Fork Wind, a 25-year partnership that will provide nearly $29 million in direct payments to East Hampton for community projects and improvements. The Town has already received over $1 million in HCA funds to date, separate from the “Wainscott Fund.” “This agreement was designed to provide lasting benefits for our community,” Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez said. “Today we see exactly what that means when federal funding fell short, we had the resources to protect public safety, our economy, and our fishing families.”

“Here in East Hampton offshore wind is not only powering 70,000 homes with clean energy, it is also keeping boats in the water, protecting the livelihoods of our fishing families, and ensuring that Montauk Harbor remains a safe haven for mariners across the region.” Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez said. “With this funding secured, Montauk’s dredging can begin. That is the leadership this community deserves.”