Promoting Sustainability
CCOM’s core belief is that a truly sustainable community is achieved through thoughtful planning, code enforcement, and adherence to environmentally responsible practices.
Sustainability Projects
Benson Reserve Habitat Restoration
In the 1990s, CCOM successfully fought alongside others for public acquisition and preservation of the Benson Reserve. Because of this the public has access to hiking trails and beach access on that property. However much of the land has been overtaken by invasive plant species, especially in a 16-acre area of the site immediately adjacent to Montauk Highway. In partnership with the Town of East Hampton and Rusty Schmidt, a renowned landscape ecologist with Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, CCOM has begun developing plans for a comprehensive 10-year habitat restoration project at the 40-acre, town-owned Benson Reserve in Montauk. Invasive plant species will be removed both mechanically and by the temporary and seasonal use of a small number of goats.
Let’s Create the Community We Want
The environmental priorities and objectives outlined in the Montauk Hamlet Plan, adopted by the East Hampton Town Board in 2020, address important, timely, and critical environmental issues facing the Montauk Community, including surface and groundwater pollution, beach erosion, climate change and sea level rise. CCOM actively participates in the committees working to address these priorities and believes that continued public engagement and contribution will help drive both immediate and critical long-term changes.
CCOM also believes a comprehensive portfolio of renewable and alternative energies must be combined with extensive energy conservation. CCOM is supportive of East Hampton Town’s NYS-certified designation as a Climate Smart Community, having completed more than 40 “Climate-Smart” actions.
CCOM is committed to the principle that the enjoyment of our natural resources need not come at the expense of our environment. To that end, CCOM advocates for sustainable land management, including non-toxic gardening practices, invasive species awareness and action, recycling, and litter reduction.
Stand With Us
CCOM has a strong legacy of serving as Montauk’s environmental watchdog as well as being an incubator for innovative environmental initiatives. We will actively review development proposals, advocate for code enforcement, and keep the community informed on all of these fronts. Explore our archived materials, including webinars and news items to learn more about us.
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