MILLER PLACE – The North Shore of Brookhaven is no stranger to flooding and water quality issues, especially the monstrous landslides seen almost two years ago when Hurricane Ernesto dropped nearly a foot of water in just a few hours. Sound Beach saw the lion’s share of that catastrophic rainfall.
Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) recently secured $1.25 million for the Miller Place-Sound Beach Drainage Project as part of tens of millions of federal dollars returned to NY-01 through Appropriations legislation that was signed into law by President Donald Trump (R-FL). The spending package includes more than $15 million for critical infrastructure, environmental, and preservation efforts across Suffolk County.
In his letter to Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Ranking Member, LaLota outlined the specifications of the project.
The funds go towards two diffusion wells in the new southwest quadrant recharge basin, which is “essential” to settling sediment and enhancing leaching capacity. Funds would also go to the construction of a new recharge basin north of Rocky Point Road to replace an outdated 24-inch drainpipe with a “more efficient” 30-inch pipe.
“This seemingly small upgrade will significantly reduce flooding, making it a cost-effective solution in the long run,” said LaLota in his letter.
The funds will also help the replacement of deteriorating retaining walls and headwalls that have been weakened over the years. Pavement restoration, revetment reconstruction, the replacement of three damaged leaching basins, the replacement of damaged asphalt tip-up gutters, and replacement of washed-away soil are in the purview of these appropriations.
“This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because in 2021, Hurricane Ida caused major flooding and severe damage to approximately 9,975 square feet of asphalt in the Town of Brookhaven, exposing leaching basins and undermining the drainage system, particularly in the Woodhull Landing community of the Miller Place-Sound Beach area,” said LaLota in his letter. He added that while damaged roads have been stabilized, “significant” work remains ahead to fully repair these roads.
“There is an equally important need to modernize the drainage infrastructure to improve flood resilience and mitigate further storm damage in the future,” said LaLota. “Funding this project protects taxpayer investment by preventing further roadway damage and costly repairs from future storms.”
LaLota added that water quality and shoreline stability improvements are “vital to New York’s coastal ecosystems and economy.” Locally, it “enhances public safety, preserves property values, and protects natural habitats” in the area.
“Drainage has become the biggest issue for municipal highway departments,” Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) told The Messenger. “Congressman LaLota has delivered for the people of the Town of Brookhaven. He deserves the credit for helping the residents of his congressional district on a very costly capital project.”
Panico added that it will “serve to mitigate” the landslides and flash flooding seen in August 2024, but that the weather is “more and more unpredictable these days.”
“One-in-a-hundred-year storms are happening every couple of years. The requirements that we have regarding stormwater retention are costly.”
Panico added that “every single thing” done in government is affected by inflation and national markets. Costs have increased but revenues haven’t. Moreover, the traditional role of local government, according to Panico, should be nuts-and-bolts issues like garbage pickup, parks maintenance, roads, and open space, for example.
“The cost of trying to do everything that is outside the core services has become overwhelming for every municipal government,” said Panico.
Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) took The Messenger on a tour of the area earlier this week.
“We are experiencing massive amounts of runoff problems. It’s rained buckets, wreaked such havoc with the runoff and erosion, not to mention the pollutants that end up in our waterways,” Bonner told The Messenger. “Congressman LaLota has been so helpful with this. We’re able to leverage our dollars more efficiently and get more done with the money.”
Bonner, a forty-year resident of the hilly North Shore, said that the various landings bordering the Long Island Sound were created when cordwood was cut down and barged into New York City. The hilly topography cascades into the Miller Place-Sound Beach area, particularly on Woodhull Landing Road.
“We’ve installed a tremendous amount of storm drains, recharge basins, and we’re constructing another basin,” said Bonner. “We’ve acquired property for drainage purposes and encouraged people not to cut all their trees down because the trees help hold the soil together, prevent erosion, and absorb water to prevent runoff. It’s multi-pronged.”
Bonner said that in August 2024, “all Hell broke loose” on the North Shore, adding that to deal with the urgency from “multiple angles” requires having “many tools in the toolbox.”
“We’re not leaving any stone unturned when it comes to ameliorating these flooding issues we’re experiencing. To that end, we’ve increased our drainage budget and our budget for acquisition for property for drainage purposes,” said Bonner.
Along Woodhull Landing Road are downed trees and open spaces, which will house the ambitious stormwater sump to collect runoff from the North Shore hills before they can reach the Sound. A small, private road just east of Woodhull Landing Road was completely washed away last summer. Bonner said she’s “never seen anything like it” with all of her years living on the North Shore.
The improvements in the area, including a concrete wall separating Woodhull Landing Road from adjacent private property, and hundreds of storm drains across the area have been ongoing since Superstorm Sandy.
“We don’t just have gentle rain anymore. We have Florida-type deluges,” said Bonner.
