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Lazy Point Coastal Erosion Control Permitting, Planning, & Implementation

Quick Facts:

  • Client: Private Homeowners
  • Location: East Hampton, NY
  • The Issue: Nearly 100 yards of coastal erosion since the 1950's
  • The Solution: Pressure Equalizing Module (PEM) pilot study
  • Big News: First ever NYSDEC permit for PEMs; permit from East Hampton trustees; USACE permit in progress

Project Summary:

Great Ecology is currently permitting a coastal erosion control plan developed by project partner EcoShore International to halt and ideally reverse continued coastal erosion at a beach in East Hampton, NY. The beach has lost hundreds of feet of depth over the last century and is putting current homeowners along the beach at risk of losing their homes within a decade. Great Ecology also reviewed and refined the plan, which utilizes an innovative PEM system to aid in sand accretion by restoring and enhancing a beach’s ability to drain. To date we have received a permit from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) - the first permit ever issued for PEMs in the Northeast US and the first in the US in over a decade - and a permit from trustees of the Town of East Hampton. Great Ecology will oversee the project implementation and conduct continuous monitoring of the PEM’s erosion control effectiveness over a 5-year span. This pilot study will ultimately serve as a proof-of-concept for this emerging technology which could serve as a front-line solution to halting beach erosion across the US.

Articles:

Trustees Hear About a Remedy for Erosion - The East Hampton Star

The Issue - Visualized

Lazy Point Site Condition1954
Lazy Point: Shoreline, vegetation line, and property line - 1954
Lazy Point Site Condition 2019
Lazy Point: Shoreline, vegetation line, and property line - 2019

The Solution - PEMs

Lazy Point Coastal Erosion Control Permitting, Planning, & Implementation
PEM graphic under sand - courtesy EcoShore

PEM's are an innovative "soft engineering" solution to control beach erosion that helps improve beach drainage, allowing the top layers of sand to dry out and deposit over time. PEM's sit 3 - 6 feet under the top layer of sand and have no adverse environmental effects. Their effectiveness is increased during storm surges, making them an ideal erosion control method for certain coastal and bay beaches across the country.

Learn More About PEM Technology


East Hampton, NY