The powerful storm that hit the East End just before Christmas left Accabonac Harbor in need of help: A particularly pronounced sand spit emerged, causing boaters and fishermen difficulty in navigating the area off Louse Point.
To begin solving the problem, the East Hampton Town Trustees voted Monday night to hire Drew Bennett, a local engineer, to help them get an emergency dredging permit from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Bill Taylor, a deputy clerk of the trustees, explained by phone Tuesday that they had received numerous complaints about the sand spit. It’s in a channel that is technically the responsibility of Suffolk County, he said, but the town had a 10-year maintenance agreement to monitor the area. That agreement recently expired, so the trustees also spoke Monday night about putting a new one in place.
“We definitely want to get it cleared up before spring gets here,” Mr. Taylor said. “We still face the possibility of the rest of the winter — March, down there, is sometimes the worst weather we get — but we’re definitely going to get it cleaned out as soon as practicable. Right now it’s not a very busy time of the year, but for the people who do use it, it’s vital.”