Odds Against Ocean County Beach Replenishment By Summer 2014

Dear Editor,

The ocean county beach replenishment project will extend the beach by over 300 feet, protecting the Jersey Shore, is no longer expected to be completed by the 2014 summer.

As a seasonal resident of Mantoloking, one of the hardest hit towns by Sandy, I know firsthand the catastrophic effects this will have on the community. Just one block north of my house, the ocean breached the island, reducing dozens of homes to rubble. Of the 535 homes in the entire town, over 100 must be torn down, and not a single house survived the storm without damage.

This beach replenishment project was offered eight years ago, but it was quickly shot down for fears of blocked ocean views.

Now the jerseys shore is once again given this lifesaver, yet a few still oppose it. Mantoloking spent the last ten months fighting off five beachfront owners who refused to grant the state permission to do the project, eventually pulling eminent domain. All of that time could have been spent in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season.

 The Jersey Shore is as vulnerable as ever, and the longer we wait, the more we put ourselves at the mercy of the unforgiving ocean.

Sincerely,

Kevin Miller