From Philly.com: Though there has long been a debate over whether to replenish or retreat from the beaches, experts say the numbers aren’t negotiable: With $68 billion in annual revenue, tourism is lucrative in New Jersey, the state’s second-largest industry.
More than half of that revenue comes from the Shore, state officials said.
“These projects are as much about protecting people and property as they are about the well-being of the entire economy of the state,” said Margot Walsh, director of the Jersey Shore Partnership, a Red Bank nonprofit that advocates beach-replenishment initiatives.