Posted on August 25, 2016
By Michelle Brunetti Post, Press of Atlantic City
Legislation to double state funding for beach replenishment and construction and maintenance of bulkheads, jetties, and seawalls was approved last week by the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee.
It happened at an off-site joint hearing with the Senate Environment and Energy Committee in Toms River Town Hall on Thursday. The Senate committee also passed a Senate version sponsored by Senator Jeff Van Drew, D-Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland.
The bills would increase from $25 million to $50 million the amount that is credited each year to the Shore Protection Fund from the collection of realty transfer fees.
The Assembly bill, A-2954, now goes to the Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto for further consideration.
But New Jersey Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel said his group opposes the bill, because it takes funding away from affordable housing, housing for the homeless, and county health programs and spends it for “pumping sand on a beach.”
“We will actually be perpetually working on these projects because they are not building an appropriate dune system,” said Tittel. “As soon as they pump the sand, it gets washed out so they should have learned already this method does not work. We have actually washed millions of dollars spent on these projects back to sea so we shouldn’t be paying any more.”
The purpose of the fund is to protect public and private property and infrastructure from coastal storm damage, erosion and sea-level rise, Democrats said.
A-2954’s primary sponsors include Assembly Democrats Bruce Land and Bob Andrzejczak, both D-Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland; and Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic.
“Our shore line and shore communities have seen multiple, damaging storms in recent years,” said Land in a written statement. “Climate change and other environmental factors require us to become more prepared … and that includes making sure the funding is there to do so.”
Republican Chris Brown, R-Atlantic, is a co-sponsor.
“The Jersey Shore is the lifeblood of the state’s $40 billion tourism industry,” said Brown in a separate written statement. “In Atlantic County alone, one out of every three jobs is supported through tourism, so shore protection funding is an investment in our economic security.”
All the legislators stressed the likelihood of future storms causing serious damage.
“It is clear that in order to be better prepared in the future we must dedicate more funding for shore protection to remediate, rebuild and protect the shore and its communities,” said Andrzejczak in a written statement.
“The reality is there are still families in our shore communities still recovering from (Hurricane) Sandy,” said Mazzeo.
Source: Press of Atlantic City
