Posted on November 9, 2026
Governor Kathy Hochul today directed the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to submit a request for federal assistance to repair coastal storm risk management projects damaged by the September 25-28, 2026, nor’easter. The storm caused significant beach and dune erosion, sand loss, and coastal flooding along Long Island’s south shore and in New York City.
“September’s nor’easter greatly impacted shorelines and damaged portions of the Long Island coast,” Governor Hochul said. “I will continue to fight for federal assistance for Nassau and Suffolk Counties to help our communities recover and rebuild following this powerful storm.”
Following the storm, DEC coordinated with local partners to document damage and gather supporting information for a request for federal assistance. These partners include New York City, Suffolk County, the City of Long Beach, the Towns of Hempstead, Babylon, Islip, Brookhaven, Southampton, and East Hampton, and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. On October 5, 2026, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) notified public sponsors that the nor’easter was eligible for consideration under its rehabilitation assistance program and invited public sponsors of potentially eligible projects to submit formal requests for assistance.
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Our coastal communities rely on strong beaches and dunes to help protect people, property, and infrastructure from coastal storms. Following the significant damage caused by September’s nor’easter, we took Governor Hochul’s direction to work with our local partners to document impacts and submit a request for federal assistance to restore these critical coastal projects. DEC will continue working with our partners to pursue the assistance needed to repair the damage and strengthen coastal resilience.”
DEC submitted the request for assistance to repair four coastal storm risk management projects: East Rockaway Inlet to Rockaway Inlet (Rockaway Beach); Jones Inlet to East Rockaway Inlet (Long Beach); Fire Island to Montauk Point; and Fire Island Inlet and Shores Westerly. The request seeks assistance to restore the damaged projects to their intended design conditions.
This request complements Governor Hochul’s recent request for a Major Disaster Declaration from President Trump to support the recovery efforts of communities impacted by a nor’easter. If granted by the federal government, this declaration would provide federal recovery funding for Nassau and Suffolk Counties as they continue to recover from the storm. A Major Disaster Declaration secures financial assistance from the federal government, primarily through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, to provide funding to eligible local governments and eligible non-profits for debris removal, protective measures, and repairs to public buildings and infrastructure, including roads, bridges, water and wastewater treatment facilities, critical infrastructure sites, schools, parks and other facilities.
