The USACE New York District has awarded a $52 million construction contract for emergency repairs to a damaged federal coastal storm risk management project on Fire Island in Suffolk County.
The contract was awarded to the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company of Houston, Texas.
According to USACE, the work involves offshore dredging within an established sand borrow area, with up to 2 million cubic yards of sand to be pumped onshore to restore the Fire Island to Moriches Inlet project.
Commenting the news, USACE New York District Commander Colonel Alex Young said: “ USACE is excited to announce this contract award. This puts us on track to begin the construction phase of the emergency coastal repairs on Fire Island this year. I would like to thank the many federal, state, and local elected officials for their incredible support as we’ve moved quickly to bring this project into construction.”
Extreme weather events, including Hurricane Lee and Tropical Storm Ophelia in September 2023, followed by significant coastal storms in November and December 2023, and January 2024, eroded large sections of beach berm and dunes that are part of the Fire Island to Moriches Inlet project.
This erosion caused damage to infrastructure and properties on Fire Island, from the Ocean Park community east to Davis Park.