Crews are closely watching conditions as Hurricane Erin passes offshore Long Island today.

One of their top concerns is what this storm could mean for the region's vulnerable coastline, particularly on the East End in places like the Town of East Hampton.

Town officials have spent days coordinating their hurricane response plan.

Part of that included placing protective sand access points at Ditch Plains and South Edison beaches to help protect the dunes.

Town officials said they also continue to coordinate their efforts with their local emergency partners, which include police and Marine Patrol.

Concern levels for the shoreline are always high when storms like this pass through the area.

The beaches out east have repeatedly been battered by storms over the last few years, leaving them vulnerable to being wiped out.

In January, East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez highlighted the town's commitment to protecting the beach and restoring Ditch Plains with the help of a $2.5 million grant from the state.

At that time, she called the shoreline "a shield for our economy and our infrastructure."

Just last month, the town received permits from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation authorizing the next phase of its coastal restoration project, which allows the town to place up to 20,000 cubic yards of sand along 22,000 square feet of the beach.

The goal of the project is to preserve homes, protect infrastructure and prepare for the increasing risks posed by stronger storms, rising sea level and beach erosion.

Last June, the town completed phase one of the project, which restored sections of the beach damaged by recent storms ahead of the summer season, which draws huge numbers of visitors that are vital to the town's economy.

The town continues to monitor the storm and its impact today.