See Video. Over 250 Margate residents gathered on the pristine Jerome Ave beach on Sunday afternoon. Braving the hot sun, they showed heightened disdain for the error-prone dune project managed by the Army Corp of Engineers and the NJ Dept of Environmental Protection.
In just a matter of days, those picture perfect Margate beaches at Jerome Ave are likely to be bulldozed, ripped apart and flooded with a potentially toxic concoction of sand, seawater and contaminants.
Former Margate Mayor Vaughn Real reminded those in attendance that damage from storms comes from the bay, not the beach.
Margate bulkheads have protected the city for decades.
Last week, a federal judge gave the Army Corps of Engineers an OK to continue the Margate dune project. The 7 day work stoppage was lifted as long they fenced off and pumped any contaminated storm water that pools between the dunes and the bulkheads.
Those with disabilities complained of ADA compliant beach access points being reduced from 12, down to 4.
Reports have shown that 90% of Hurricane Sandy insurance claims were connected to damage from Margate back bay flooding, not front ocean waves.
Accusations were leveled at politicians, including Congressman LoBiondo, that the dune & beach project is nothing more than wasteful spending of federal tax dollars. ‘Dunes and beach get washed away, bulkheads and jetty’s are virtually forever’.
Christie’s executive order forced a one-size-fits-all dune project for all towns. This was great news for Weeks Marine and the Army Corp, but lousy news for locals. Why not let individual shore towns use their share of the money to craft a more custom storm protection plan?
Would a master jetty at the end of Longport work? Take a look at the Absecon Inlet jetty in Brigantine. Brig grew over 3,000 feet of new beach.
Jettys can work wonders in certain situations. Maybe one in Longport?
Will local government finally lobby Trenton and Washington, D.C., to secure funding for a master jetty? Margate resident John Sewell thinks New Jersey’s two U.S. senators could easily secure this funding with a little horse trading with the Republican side of the aisle. It could be tacked onto another bill Republicans might dearly want.
The Army Corp & DEP would like to see out-flow pipes to drain the streets and cesspools between the dunes and bulkheads. Who will pay for this industrialization of the beach?
Getting ‘cliffed’. Wave action is expected to slice off pieces of widened beaches almost immediately after being built. This well-known issue is called ‘cliffing’. It’s dangerous and can only be fixed by bulldozers.