Seven years of back-bay dredging delay. Frustrating for Margate, especially for bay front property owners. And yes, it could get worse.
The City just learned the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) wants Margate to conduct another costly survey and sampling for a city-wide dredging permit.
Listen to June 15, 2023 meeting.
Margate taxpayers may have to shell out another $100,000 in the near future.
DEP bureaucrat says: Let’s re-survey that. Maybe re-test it again. This is costing Margate a lot more money. The delay is not from Margate, it’s from the NJ DEP.
Solicitor Abbott, June 15 Commissioner mtg.
Coincidence? Margate back bays getting clogged even worse, ever since beach replenishment and dune building deal pushed by then NJ Gov, Chris Christie.
More difficult and dangerous to navigate. Many docks, including the Amherst water park attraction, become unusable during low tide.
DEP regulations mandate updated survey data, even though the city’s documents are in order.
Margate may consider hiring a lobbyist to expedite approval?
NJ DEP regulations: Margate survey data is old. It needs to be updated to see if there are changes in the sediment.
Sand from front beach replenishment works its way into the backbay, lagoons, waterways and channels.
The city has faced numerous obstacles and delays, including finding labs outside the area for analysis.
The last time margate lagoons were dredged was 1959 and I was 10. This has been going on for over a half of century. Good luck