Ronald Regan, “the Gipper,” once said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.'”
He was prescient in so far as the dune boondoggle goes. By fiat, Republican-in-name-only Gov. Chris Christie rammed dunes down citizens’ throats by a dubious executive order. It reflects his gross stupidity regarding dunes and their supposed “protection.”
Dunes are sordid, rotten, corrupt pork-barrel projects whereby the dredging companies liberally grease the skids of both parties. The “protection” is specious and suspect at best. Even the Army Corps of Engineers is forced to acknowledge that they afford only 45 minutes of protection. The nor’easter of 1962 lasted three days!
Furthermore, flooding in Margate comes not from the ocean side, but from the bay.
There is a far better and permanent fix for beach erosion. You need only look to the master jetty erected to protect the Absecon Inlet. It has done a superb job and in the process has created thousands of feet of new beach in Brigantine. Were one to be erected at the end of Longport, a similar huge replenishment would occur forever at no additional costs after initial installation.
Wide beaches are nothing more than huge underground dunes that wave action must chew up before ever reaching the bulkheads. The master jetty is by far the most cost-effective, permanent fix known to man.
Dunes are just a scam to line the pockets of crooked politicians.
John Sewell
Margate