Community Corner

Peconic Institute Partners With Shinnecock Nation For First Major Project

Energy-efficient retrofitting of Shinnecock shellfish hatchery could cost upwards of $2.5 million.

One of the many displays inside the Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center & Museum notes that the surrounding waters were once known by tribes as "The Place of Shells." On Friday, members of the Shinnecock Tribe and the newly-formed Peconic Institute — a nonprofit aimed at making the East End a leader in the sustainability industry — announced they would be partnering to work toward the common goal of keeping that reputation intact.

Local, state and federal politicians who helped form the institute, as well as tribal leaders, said that under the partnership a shellfish hatchery first constructed in 1978 will be retrofit to modern standards – "the highest standard of energy sustainability," said Peconic Institute Co-Chair Nay Htun. The facility, originally constructed by the Shinnecock Nation with federal funding, suffered over time due to a lack of funding as well as severe damage due to red tide and brown tide.

Friday's announcement marks the start of the Peconic Institute's first major project, coming about three months after the organization earned nonprofit status. According to the organization's treasurer, Frank Dalene, the building will be carbon-neutral in the construction phase, low-carbon while in operation and energy independent during power outages.

Speakers focused on the partnership between the institute and tribal leaders as a model to look forward to for future projects.

"This is about connecting past and traditional knowledge with the future — the youth with our elders — and taking steps forward as a team and as a family," said John Botos, the executive director of the institute.

The Rev. Mike Smith of the Shinnecock Presbyterian Church echoed the sentiments of Sitting Bull: "Let us put our minds together and see what life we can produce for our children."

Details in the way of funding for the project itself remain up in the air. Htun noted in an interview before the press conference that the "state-of-the-art living laboratory" itself could cost upwards of $2.5 million. While no funds have yet to be secured for the work, the institute noted in a statement that it "has the capacity to assemble a design and construction team with advanced knowledge and expertise to apply the highest standards of sustainable and resilient techniques to retrofit the Shinnecock Indian Nation hatchery."

U.S. Rep. Tim Bishop, D-Southampton, said he couldn't immediately identify any grant funding sources, with earmark funding cut by federal legislators, but said a partnership with the Shinnecock Nation could possibly help boost odds of gaining grant dollars.

Updating the hatchery, officials said, would provide construction jobs in the short-term, and a long-term anchor of shellfishing jobs to serve as a food-source and cultural activity.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here