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If state officials don’t step in, the billboards would be set up on both the east and westbound sides of the highway near exit 66. There will be electronic displays on both sides.
According to reports, tribal leaders have said the billboards are being erected to raise revenue for their nation. Trees have already been cleared in the area where the billboards have been proposed. Leaders have argued that since the land is owned by the Shinnecock Nation, they can move forward freely with the project.
A spokesperson for Congressman Lee Zeldin, however, said that the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs has no record of the land being held in a trust, thus potentially giving the state more power to enforce federal regulations, which ban six-story billboards on certain roadways.
The New York State Department of Transportation said the issue is still under review. The structures violate town height, lighting and billboard restrictions.There were no permits for tree removal, but tribal leaders stated that they are exempt from local and state regulations.
Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman has reportedly been in contact with the tribal leaders and stated that “he knows my feeling,” though he offered the caveat that they are likely to continue to build the massive billboards.
“Our community has suffered greatly over the last several decades due to a lack of resources. Now, we have the opportunity to generate revenue and have access to the same standard of living as our much wealthier neighbors,” Shinnecock trustees said in a statement.
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