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County Beach Conference focuses on federal funding
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Press of Atlantic City
Ocean water is free.
Sand costs nothing.
But keeping that water from swallowing that sand on New Jersey's beaches costs millions per year.
At the Cape May County Beach Conference, held Monday at the county administration building in Crest Haven, federal, state and environmental officials spoke about the need to protect local beaches and the beaches' importance to tourism, wildlife and the economy.
"It's certainly not about people getting a suntan. It's about jobs and the economy," said U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd.
The federal government pays most of the cost for projects critical to maintaining the state's beaches, LoBiondo said.
LoBiondo said a proposed change in the funding for-mula that would shift the major burden to the state and municipalities would not work. "I don't believe state or municipal governments will be able to pick up any projects," he said. "It's just too much money."
The loss of tourist dollars that the beaches attract could devastate the state economy in the way natural disasters do elsewhere, he said.
A presidential budget released in February would cut about $17 million for beach-replenishment projects in New Jersey.
LoBiondo said he expects "good news" regarding the House of Representatives' budget in regard to beach projects.
Assemblyman Jack Gibson, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, said funding for dredging projects is unpredictable, and a permanent funding source is needed.
"New Jersey has never had a stable source of funding for dredging," he said.
Where to place those dredge materials is another problem.
Stone Harbor Mayor Suzanne Walters, who has learned firsthand about the problems of disposing of dredge materials, asked a member of the state Department of Environmental Protection, or DEP, about a possible state facility to handle dredge spoils.
John Garofalo, manager of the DEP's Office of Coastal Engineering, said the state is trying to identify and purchase disposal sites to handle the materials. Using the dredge spoils along roadbeds is not feasible, he said.
Just removing all the water from the dredge materials is a complex process.
"Beneficial use of dredge material is extremely expensive," said Bailey Smith, project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine, D-N.J., was scheduled to attend Monday's Beach Conference but was unable to come due to Ronald Reagan's funeral, said Freeholder Director Daniel Beyel.
At the conference, LoBiondo announced a new bill, the Coastal Restoration Act, that he said would strengthen laws that rebuild beaches in New Jersey. Under the bill, he said, changes in administration policy, such as the one that threatens to cut federal beach funding in New Jersey, will not prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from processing feasibility and other studies for beach projects.
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Press of Atlantic City
Ocean water is free.
Sand costs nothing.
But keeping that water from swallowing that sand on New Jersey's beaches costs millions per year.
At the Cape May County Beach Conference, held Monday at the county administration building in Crest Haven, federal, state and environmental officials spoke about the need to protect local beaches and the beaches' importance to tourism, wildlife and the economy.
"It's certainly not about people getting a suntan. It's about jobs and the economy," said U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd.
The federal government pays most of the cost for projects critical to maintaining the state's beaches, LoBiondo said.
LoBiondo said a proposed change in the funding for-mula that would shift the major burden to the state and municipalities would not work. "I don't believe state or municipal governments will be able to pick up any projects," he said. "It's just too much money."
The loss of tourist dollars that the beaches attract could devastate the state economy in the way natural disasters do elsewhere, he said.
A presidential budget released in February would cut about $17 million for beach-replenishment projects in New Jersey.
LoBiondo said he expects "good news" regarding the House of Representatives' budget in regard to beach projects.
Assemblyman Jack Gibson, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, said funding for dredging projects is unpredictable, and a permanent funding source is needed.
"New Jersey has never had a stable source of funding for dredging," he said.
Where to place those dredge materials is another problem.
Stone Harbor Mayor Suzanne Walters, who has learned firsthand about the problems of disposing of dredge materials, asked a member of the state Department of Environmental Protection, or DEP, about a possible state facility to handle dredge spoils.
John Garofalo, manager of the DEP's Office of Coastal Engineering, said the state is trying to identify and purchase disposal sites to handle the materials. Using the dredge spoils along roadbeds is not feasible, he said.
Just removing all the water from the dredge materials is a complex process.
"Beneficial use of dredge material is extremely expensive," said Bailey Smith, project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine, D-N.J., was scheduled to attend Monday's Beach Conference but was unable to come due to Ronald Reagan's funeral, said Freeholder Director Daniel Beyel.
At the conference, LoBiondo announced a new bill, the Coastal Restoration Act, that he said would strengthen laws that rebuild beaches in New Jersey. Under the bill, he said, changes in administration policy, such as the one that threatens to cut federal beach funding in New Jersey, will not prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from processing feasibility and other studies for beach projects.
If it makes sense they won't do it. 
