Montauk United

Providing Montauk Residents a Means to Speak and Act as One!

The Coming Montauk Crisis

In a 2017 judgement, the United States Supreme Court declined to review lower court decisions which banned East Hampton Town from restricting helicopter aircraft access to the E.H. Airport. This action ended the East Hampton Town Board’s 5-year, $3+ million-dollar legal effort that, if successful, would have resulted in the de facto transferring of up to 3,800+ helicopter landings and takeoffs to the Montauk airfield. These extensive efforts by the Town Board were in response to highly organized well-funded special interest group pressure from individuals owning property surrounding the EH Airport.


Since the Supreme Court decision, special interest pressure has increased culminating in the EH Town Board committing $2 million in legal fees aimed at limiting aircraft traffic by Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations. These efforts have also failed leaving the anti-airport special interest groups with only one other option, an intensive pressure campaign aimed at the Town Board for a complete and permanent closure of the entire E.H. Airport.


The E.H. Airport is currently protected through controls and standards administered by the United States Federal Aviation Administration which prohibit the closing of the facility. In 2021, these controls will expire resulting in absolute managerial airport authority with the E.H. Town Board. As a token response to the special interest groups, The Town Board has always officially recognized, without comment, the possibility of full closure of the entire East Hampton Airport. All that is required to legally accomplish this action is a simple 3 vote majority of its five members. In late 2019, the current Board Supervisor, Peter Van Scoyoc, publicly stated in official communications, “The Airport will likely be closed” indicating that at least one of the three votes necessary for closure is already committed. In addition, the anti-airport interest groups have also been extremely active in past Town Board candidate election campaigns.


A full closure of the EH Airport would create an even larger disaster for the Montauk community then a simple restriction of commercial flights. In addition to the thousands of helicopter flights, all fixed wing aircraft currently employing Airport services would be forced to consider the likely Montauk airfield alternative. Designated commercial routes to and from Montauk, of both fixed and rotary wing aircraft, would require a relentless continuous use of up to 75% of Montauk airspace causing irreparable damage to both the social and economic fabric of our community.


Montauk, an official and legitimate part of the Town of East Hampton, has a population base far greater in number and economic consequence then all the current anti-airport special interest groups combined. The citizen and business communities of Montauk are entitled to the same degree of E.H. Town Board support, attention and protection as provided to all other East Hampton Town residents. Montauk will be irrecoverably changed forever if the E.H. anti-airport special interest groups prevail.


MONTAUK UNITED IS FIGHTING BACK

MONTAUK UNITED will conduct a major airport crisis awareness program reaching out to over 7,000 individual Montauk voters, property owners, citizens and friends.


MONTAUK UNITED will ascertain, and make available to the Montauk public, each individual East Hampton Town Board member’s position regarding the airport issue, and their commitment to the protection of our community.


Letters to the Editor (Click Below to Read)

May 11 2021

May 18 2021


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Montauk United: Who we are

Montauk United is a non-partisan apolitical citizen action group, of over 700 members dedicated to the supposition that strength and power can be obtained for Montauk residents though a united effort.  Through effective and mass organization, the people of Montauk can possess a powerful weapon in addressing and conquering the very serious problems and issues that are negatively affecting our community.

Agenda

1: To continually inform and educate all Village citizens of current situations concerning any external efforts being employed by outside interest groups which can have a significant and severe  negative impact on all phases of Montauk’s way of life.

 

2: To monitor all Village laws, ordinances, and agreements made between the Town of East Hampton and certain and select Montauk businesses, including night clubs, taxis, and seasonal rental operations, in regard to full compliance and cooperation in both the written word and spirit of the legislation. Areas of specific interest in include night club noise issues, crowd control, space limitations, all aspects of taxi control, rental requirements, and follow through by Town Governmental authority.

 

3:  To provide an easy accessible public forum to MONTAUK UNITED members for the obtaining, sharing, and providing of relevant information in aiding Town officials in their efforts to enforce the law.

 

4:  To provide each and every Montauk citizen the power of many when reaching   out to local, county, and state government.

Get active

Post your comments and photos on happenings in Montauk.  Perhaps you want to write a story or tell us about an issue.  This is the place to communicate with all the members of Montauk United.  We want to hear from you. 


Tom Bogdon 

Montauk United

Report a Violation

If you see or hear anything, anything at all, which would appear to be a violation of the Town Code, it is our responsibility to report it to the proper authorities. This is the only way we can begin to take back control of our village.