Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday 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 Sept. 25-28, 2026, nor’easter, the governor’s office said. The storm caused significant beach and dune erosion, sand loss, and coastal flooding along Long Island’s south shore and in New York City, according to the governor’s office.
“September’s nor’easter greatly impacted shorelines and damaged portions of the Long Island coast,” Governor Hochul said. She said she would continue to fight for federal assistance for Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Following the storm, the Department of Environmental Conservation coordinated with local partners to document damage and gather supporting information for the request, the governor’s office said. 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, according to the governor’s office.
On Oct. 5, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 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, the governor’s office said.
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 governor’s office said. The request seeks assistance to restore the damaged projects to their intended design conditions.
The request complements Governor Hochul’s recent request for a Major Disaster Declaration from President Trump to support recovery efforts for communities impacted by the nor’easter, the governor’s office said. If granted by the federal government, this declaration would provide federal recovery funding for Nassau and Suffolk Counties. 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, according to the governor’s office.