The long-running sandstorm at the Jersey Shore is expected to come to an end soon as New Jersey embarks on an emergency beach replenishment project in one of the state’s most severely eroded beaches. North Wildwood has been engaged in a years-long court battle with the state over measures it has taken independently to combat encroaching seas, while waiting in vain for the same replenishment projects that have been implemented along almost the entire Jersey Shore. While it may take another two years for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to initiate the main sand pumping project on North Wildwood’s shores, an interim solution has been agreed upon. In January, Mayor Patrick Rosenello reported that parts of the dunes barely reached ankle height. However, a joint statement released by the city and Governor Phil Murphy late Thursday night announced that both parties have agreed to an emergency project to pump sand ashore, providing North Wildwood with protection from storm surges and flooding. “The erosion in North Wildwood is alarming,” Murphy said on Friday. “We could not let this continue. This issue has remained unresolved for far too long.” Rosenello, who last summer placed signs at the entrance to North Wildwood beaches featuring Murphy’s photo, blaming the Democratic governor for the lack of sand on the beach, on Friday acknowledged Murphy’s leadership in breaking the deadlock. He also credited advocacy from elected officials from both parties, including former Senate President Steve Sweeney, a Democrat, and Republican Sen. Michael Testa, in helping to broker the deal. “This is a great development for North Wildwood and a positive step for the entire Jersey Shore,” Rosenello said. The state Department of Transportation will undertake the project, but cost estimates were not available on Friday. Rosenello anticipates that the city will be required to contribute towards the cost. This agreement could put an end to over a decade of legal and political wrangling over erosion in North Wildwood, a popular vacation destination for Philadelphians. New Jersey has imposed a $12 million fine on the town for unauthorized beach repairs that it claims could exacerbate erosion, while the city is suing to recover the $30 million it has spent trucking sand to the site over the past decade in the absence of a replenishment program. Rosenello expressed hope that this agreement could lead to the dismissal of the extensive legal actions on both sides. However, he added that more work is needed before that can happen. Murphy declined to comment on the possibility of ending the litigation. North Wildwood has requested emergency permission from the state to construct a steel bulkhead along the most severely eroded section of its beachfront, a measure previously implemented in two other locations. However, the state Department of Environmental Protection has generally opposed bulkheads as a long-term solution, arguing that these rigid structures can encourage sand scouring against them, potentially accelerating and worsening erosion. The agency favors beach replenishment projects, like those carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for decades, which involve pumping substantial amounts of sand from offshore onto eroded beaches, widening them and creating sand dunes to safeguard the adjacent properties. Almost the entire 127-mile (204-kilometer) New Jersey coastline has benefited from such projects. However, in North Wildwood, legal approvals and property easements from private landowners have so far prevented its implementation. The project that will commence in the coming weeks is a temporary measure of this type. Rosenello expects it to be completed by July 4th. “Hopefully by the July 4th holiday, North Wildwood will have expansive, healthy beaches, and many happy beachgoers,” he said.
Emergency Beach Replenishment Project to Address Erosion in North Wildwood
