The Night Sky Is Worth Protecting

Among the pleasures of the East End are its clear skies and the notable absence of man-made lighting to spoil the view. East Hampton Village has taken this to heart — though some of its own municipal lighting could be better — and is working on new regulations, which, apparently, will conform to Dark Skies Association standards. In East Hampton Town, however, officials have tightened the rules but have not shown diligence in seeking compliance with the statute. And in both jurisdictions, reasonable efforts to expand protections of the darkness of the night have been met with notable opposition — mostly from commercial interests. Our take is that this is a battle worth engaging in.

In East Hampton Town, especially in Montauk, the puzzling and ongoing question is why the law against “internally illuminated” signs (think neon and LEDs) and other kinds of offending lighting is only rarely enforced. The prohibitions are unambiguous, which should make the jobs of officials seeking compliance easy, but little is done. The East Hampton Town Board might be thinking that it is doing some in the business community a favor by going easy in this regard, but in doing so it is sending a loud and clear signal that the town code can be read with a wink and a nod. If the board thinks certain aspects of the lighting rules are outdated, it should change the law. As it is, however, every bright blinking “open” sign carries an unintended message that undermines the authority of local law and gives some residents the confidence to try pushing other limits. One has to wonder just how big an illegal, light-up sign someone would have to put up to get Town Hall’s attention. Pretty darn big, unfortunately.

Officials across the region must be continually reminded that their primary responsibility is to resident taxpayers, who we think like the night to look like night. Commercial interests must come second. This also applies to the battle over the Army Corps project in Montauk. People want the beach; a handful of motels and seasonal residents seek protection for their structures. This tension is more or less the same when it comes to lighting. Officials should listen politely to any voices that would like to push back the dark with light, but then defer to the rest of us, who enjoy seeing the stars overhead, as well as to the native plants and animals for which normal day and night cycles are essential.

In this and so many other matters, the question should be what needs to be done to protect this place and those qualities that make it unique. It is a big job, but for elected officials, there is no higher priority.