Government

Considering the fire at the East Hampton Energy Storage Center, which resulted in the release of over two million gallons of water from an on-site fire suppression system, it’s hard to imagine that a similar fire at a Montauk storage center, especially given its location, wouldn’t have environmental consequences with no good way to remediate them.

The East Hampton Village Board voted unanimously to approve its fiscal year 2027 budget, which lowers taxes by 0.29 percent.

In a continued effort to spur the construction of accessory dwelling units throughout East Hampton Town, the town board last week unanimously supported taking $1 million from the Community Housing Fund and chopping it into 10 separate $100,000 loans for applicants. Applications became available on the town’s website Monday and are open until Aug. 21.

Forty years ago, East Hampton Town entered into a 99-year lease for the westerly warehouse building on what had been the Navy’s World War II-era torpedo testing range, on Fort Pond Bay in Montauk, and the 1.5 acres surrounding it, for “marine science research and educational purposes only.” 

The Suffolk County Water Authority is asking East Hampton Village residents to conserve water following discovery of contaminated wells, for which the 2023 fire at a lithium-ion energy storage system at a Cove Hollow Road (East Hampton) substation is the suspected culprit. 

She was endorsed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni, County Legislator Ann Welker, and by three of four East Hampton Town Board members, and on Tuesday night, Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez won the endorsement of Democratic voters.

Chris Gallant, an Army National Guard pilot, former air traffic controller, union leader, and volunteer firefighter, is the apparent winner of Tuesday’s Democratic Primary for New York’s First Congressional District, having defeated Lukas Ventouras.

A list of voting spots by election district.

In an uncommon local political occurrence that will shape the immediate future of East Hampton Town’s Democratic Party, Democratic voters are faced this month with a choice for the two committee members in each of the town’s 19 election districts. 

Former East Hampton Town Councilman Jeff Bragman, who screened with the Democratic Committee over the winter to be considered as its nominee for town supervisor this fall, has endorsed Mayor Jerry Larsen in his primary race against the incumbent, Kathee Burke-Gonzalez.

The village Z.B.A. voted to reopen a hearing that had resulted in a determination granting multiple area variances and a wetlands permit for a Jones Road property, despite the objections of one member. It also closed another hearing, allowing an applicant on Middle Lane to convert an accessory building to an accessory dwelling unit.

Republican Representative Nick LaLota said that in awarding federal earmarks “it is appropriate to consider whether an applicant government demonstrates a willingness to cooperate with federal partners, uphold the rule of law, and protect public safety. Recent actions by certain municipalities in New York to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities have raised serious concerns in this regard.”

Ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic primary for East Hampton Town supervisor, both campaigns came under fire for separate matters related to water contamination by “forever chemicals.” 

Voters in East Hampton Village returned two incumbents to the village board, both of whom ran unopposed. 

What do East Hampton, Nantucket, Greenport, Port Jefferson, Northport, Hudson, and Cold Spring, N.Y., all have in common? They have all enacted legislation aimed at curbing the rise of so-called “formula” stores. Sag Harbor is on the precipice of doing the same, but is seeking comment from community members in an effort to find the best solution.

East Hampton Town is appealing a ruling that compelled the Building Department to issue a building permit to Joseph Macari and Kim Staller for their property on Bendigo Road in Amagansett.

An investigation of submarine groundwater discharge in the northwest area of Accabonac Harbor, some of which is seasonally closed to shellfishing due to fecal coliform detection, another part permanently closed, will be conducted by Cornell Cooperative Extension personnel this summer.

Cellphone service in Sag Harbor Village should get a bit better this summer with the installation of a new pole atop the Municipal Building on Main Street. The village board has voted to waive a thorough review of the installation in order to expedite it.

Proposed legislation that would encourage employer-sponsored housing within East Hampton received a chilly reception at a May 7 public hearing and has since been tweaked. Now deemed satisfactory by the town board, it will get another hearing on July 19.

Early voting in advance of the June 23 Democratic primary begins on Saturday and will continue through June 21 at the Windmill Village community room.

A renewed lease for the Maidstone Gun Club in Wainscott, which has been closed since the imposition of a temporary restraining order in November 2022, still has not been signed, East Hampton Town Councilwoman Cate Rogers told the Wainscott Citizens Advisory Committee.

The Let Them Build agenda that is aimed at expediting the construction of housing, a component of the state’s fiscal year 2027 budget signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul last month, is drawing negative reviews from environmental advocates on the South Fork.

The East Hampton Town Planning Board heard from 18 residents, 11 in person and seven via email, who not only thought the Springs Brewery and tasting room were a great idea, but spoke to the character of the owners, Lindsay Reichart and Gunnar Burke.

Cantwell Court, a broken crosswalk signal on Main Street, downtown lighting, and the long-closed Cranberry Hole Road bridge were among the topics covered at a recent Amagansett Citizens Advisory Committee meeting.

The East Hampton Town Trustees voted last week to authorize a special season for the taking of soft clams or razor clams by the method known as powering, or churning, on weekdays starting June 29.

The two Democratic candidates vying to challenge Representative Nick LaLota in New York’s First Congressional District did not criticize each other, but rather were in near-total agreement and pledged to work together in the midterm election campaign, in a sedate debate on June 8.

Two members of the East Hampton Village Board will face voters in the election on Tuesday, albeit without opponents.

Shortly after imposing a temporary restraining order that prevented East Hampton Town from moving forward with a planned acquisition of 13.5 acres at 549 and 550 Wainscott Northwest Road, Suffolk County Justice James F. Quinn lifted the order on June 4, and on Tuesday the town board authorized the purchase using nearly $3.98 million in community housing funds.

Looking for some napkins with your takeout order? Soon you may not find them in your bag in Sag Harbor Village.

Two Suffolk County Water Authority drinking wells near Cove Hollow Road and Montauk Highway have been contaminated by so-called “forever chemicals” from the nearby East Hampton Energy Storage Center, a civil suit alleges.