LONG BEACH ISLAND
&
Barnegat Bay Area Projects
The History of Long Beach Island Beach Replenishment
(updated Aug.
11, 2006)
Welcome Friend!
Long Beach Island is an 18-mile long barrier island. It is a popular summer destination
in the Northeast, and its powdery white sand has often landed it among the
ranks of finest beaches in the country. In the off-season, thousands of
year-round residents call the island home. Tourism, rentals, shops,
restaurants and recreational fishing are the key industries on the island.
Dodging the Bullet
I was on LBI with the late Mayor Jim
Mancini in 2003 as Hurricane Isabel missed our island. It showed us all the
need for real beach protection to avert a catastrophe to the entire
community.
Below are some press releases of the fight
to get LBI beach replenishment funds.
Storms in 1991 and 1992 battered the
island, and we've never fully recovered. Since 1993, I've worked to bring
$3.3 million to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to engineer permanent beach
protection.
A Huge Step in 2000
We won a major victory in 2000, when Congress
authorized the project with the federal government paying 65 percent of the
costs, and with state picking up 35 percent (one of the last such rations in
the country for new construction).
More Progress in 2003
The plan to build a 17-mile long berm on Long Beach Island took a huge leap forward on
November 18, 2003, when the House passed the required approval of the start
of construction, plus $1 million to begin construction. (I note that Mayor
Mancini, a tireless advocate for the LBI project, passed away on the same
day.)
Project Status in 2004
The House set aside another $750,000 for
construction of the LBI project in the FY2005 budget.
$5
Million & More Leaps Forward in Spring/Summer 2005
In May, I was pleased to have added
another $5 million in the House’s FY2006 budget, enough to actually start
construction. Subsequently, the Senate agreed to add the funding. By August,
the Project Cooperation Agreement was approved by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, and then approved by the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection.
Congress will take up final passage of the FY2006 budget in the fall of 2005.
Construction
Officially Starts in 2005! Leads to 2006 funds, 2007 funds…
On Sept. 23, 2005 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer awarded a contract
for the first phase of construction to truck an estimated 16,000 tons of sand
to an eroded, four-block area in Harvey Cedars. The contractor mobilized on
site Sept. 26 for 45 days of moving sand and repairing the beach. This start
was critical to enable me to work with the administration to add $5M in funding
in the FY2006 budget. The strategy worked. And when we got the President’s
budget in February 2006, in included $2.5 million for the LBI project in 2007—the
first time the LBI project was funded when Congress got the budget.
Future: Work on FY07 Budget, State to
Finalize Plans, Surf City 1st to Get Sand
I was pleased to have helped increase the
funding for LBI from $2.5M to $6 million in the House. The Senate allotted
only $3M in its budget, however, so I expect between $3M-6M to be the funding
we have in a budget compromise this fall.
State officials now must complete final details
with the Army Corps of Engineers for various towns, such as remaining public
access issues on select sections of the island, which includes a half-dozen municipalities. The second phase of
construction was put out to bid in July 2006. A bids
are expected to be opened Aug. 22 and awarded around Labor Day, with the
first pumping of sand set to start in Surf City in late September, thanks to
the leadership of State Sen. & Surf City Mayor Len Conners.
The project is expected to be constructed
over 5-10 years. Although the federal budget is tight, I will continue to
fight for funding in coming years.
Newsletters
Press Releases
2006
- Saxton
talks w/ Gov. Corzine, DEP, LBI Mayors on LBI Project; Thanks Governor,
NJDEP for action - June 14, 2006
- House
OK's LBI Funds; $6M in construction funds is most ever to repair
beaches; must pass Senate - May 25, 2006
- Currituck
Scheduled to Arrive at the Jersey Shore; Federal dredge to arrive in
Barnegat by Fourth of July - May 23, 2006
- Rep.
Saxton Backs Conservation Amendments; Changes w/ bipartisan support put
in Interior budget - May 19, 2006
- Saxton
Amendments Added to Magnuson-Stevens; Fisheries Bill Passes House
Resources Committee - May 18, 2006
- Saxton
Unveils Bill to Support Nat. Fish Hatcheries; Would foster volunteers
for hatcheries that produce stripers, shad, herring, other fish;
Legislation modeled after previous Saxton bills passed into law -
May 12, 2006
- Congressmen
Saxton, Andrews and LoBiondo Team Up; Hold press conf. on provision in
2007 Defense Bill to stall dumping VX chemicals into the Delaware River -
May 11, 2006
- FAA
OK's Grant for Ocean County's Miller Air Park - May 9, 2006
- Hearing
Held on Saxton's Ocean Exploration Bill - May 5, 2006
- Saxton:
Funds for LBI Beach Repairs in '07 Budget; $2.5M for construction
included in budget for 1st time - February 7, 2006
- Saxton
Asks NJDEP for Flexiblity on LBI Beach Plan - January 27, 2006
2005
- Saxton
Unveils Ocean Exploration Bill - September 20, 2005
- Ocean
Co. Nets $567K Airport Grant - September 1, 2005
- N.J.
Shore Benefits from ‘Pumpout’ Grant -
August 19, 2005
- U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers Signs LBI Beach Repair Agreement w/ N.J. -
August 17, 2005
- N.J.
OK’s LBI Beach Repair Project Pact; Army Corps of Engineers to Sign Wed.
- August 16, 2005
- House
OK’s TEA-LU; $8M for Rt. 530 - July 29, 2005
- Ocean
Co. Nets $3M+ for Co. Rd. 85 - July 29, 2005
- Saxton
Helps Secure Money for M.O.M. - July 29, 2005
- Bill
Includes Forsythe Funds - July 28, 2005
- Saxton
Honored by Tuckerton Seaport - July 26, 2005
- U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers Starts Dredging Channels in Barnegat Bay -
July 15, 2005
- LBI
Project Pact Approved in Washington, D.C. - July 13, 2005
- Rep.
Saxton Introduces Bill to Help Expand Coastal Open Space - July 1,
2005
- Saxton
Honored as ‘Guardian of the Bay - June 28, 2005
- Ocean
County Receives Airport Grant - June 24, 2005
- Ocean
Co. Library Awarded NEH Grant - June 20, 2005
- Saxton
Joins Colleagues in Cosponsoring Bipartisan Ocean Bill - June 17,
2005
- 'Net
Free Returns' Missing since May 19, Rutgers U. Locates Rep. Saxton’s
‘Net Free’ - June 16, 2005
- Saxton
Adopts Tagged Striper - May 27, 2005
- LBI
Funds Pass House - May 25, 2005
- LONG
BEACH ISLAND FUNDS IN BUDGET - May 18, 2005
- Saxton
Meets with LBI Mayors - May 5, 2005
- Saxton
Announces $10K Grant for Barnegat Decoy & Baymen’s
Museum - April 19, 2005
- Ocean
County Nets $4M for Route 85 - March 10, 2005
- Beach
Haven Vol. Fire Company to Net $177K Homeland Security Grant -
February 18, 2005
- Cong.
Saxton Becomes Ocean Caucus Co-Chairman - February 18, 2005
2004
- Saxton
Helps Preserve 780 Acres in Ocean County - December 12, 2004
- Congress,
President Bush OK Bluefish Study - December 9, 2004
- Congress
Acts to Preserve Manahawkin Marsh Tract - November 24, 2004
- Saxton
& Coastal Caucus Delay New Beach Policy til
Nov. 20 - October 8, 2004
- Saxton
Asks Sec. of Commerce to Help Protect Striped Bass Fishing in N.J. -
August 31, 2004
- Ocean
County Receives Airport Grant - August 19, 2004
- House
Passes Algal Bloom Legislation - July 7, 2004
- Plan
to Aid Seaport Set - June 30, 2004
- Barnegat
Bay Area Funds Added to Budget - June 25, 2004
- Work
on North Jetty Nears Completion - June 7, 2004
- Saxton
to President: Beach Funds Critical to N.J. & U.S. Economy - May
25, 2004
- Saxton
Sends NJ Delegation letter to Key Subcommittee for Beach Funds - May
18, 2004
- Saxton
Unveils Bill to Move National Marine Fisheries Service to U.S. Dept. of
Interior -May 18, 2004
- USDA
Approves Seaside Grant & Loan to Upgrade Water Treatment System
- April 29, 2004
- Saxton,
Other Congressional Leaders Cite New Report on State of Oceans -
April 20, 2004
- House
Authorizes MOM Rail Project - April 2, 2004
- Rep.
Saxton Approaches 10,000th vote in Congress - March 24, 2004
- Budget
Includes Funds for Forsythe - March 16, 2004
2003
- Work
on North Jetty Begins Thursday - December 17, 2003
- House
OK's Ocean Co. Funds - December 9, 2003
- House
OKs LBI Project - November 18, 2003
- Congressman
mourns death, hails life of Ocean Co. Icon - November 18, 2003
- Long
Beach Island Project Added to 2004 Budget - November 10, 2003
- Isabel
Approaches; LBI Vulnerable - September 16, 2003
- Audubon
Society, Sierra Club Award Cong. Saxton for Helping Wildlife -
August 26, 2003
- Currituck
Arrives Early to LBI - August 5, 2003
- Saxton
Works with Army Corps of Engineers to Bring Sand to LBI - July 30,
2003
- House
Passes Funds for Rep. Saxton s Grants for Marine Mammal Rescues -
July 23, 2003
- House
OK's Ocean Co. Beach Projects - July 18, 2003
2002
- Saxton
Hails Nomination of Barnegat Estuary for New Watershed Initiative -
October 31, 2002
- Saxton
Calls on Fish & Wildlife Service to Stop Distributing Holgate Brochure - September 10, 2002
- House
Panel OK's Ocean Co. Beach Projects - September 6, 2002
- Saxton
Glad to See Holgate Delay - September 2,
2002
- Saxton
Seeks Holgate Clarification - August 30,
2002
- Fishermen
Retain Access to Holgate - August 16, 2002
- Saxton
Urges State of N.J. to Apply for New Watershed Initiative - July 31,
2002
- Corps
Finishes Beach Feasibility Report, Environmental Impact - July 3,
2002
- Saxton
Asks Key Appropriator for LBI Construction Start - June 17, 2002
- Fed
Study Shows Benefit of Beach Replenishment - April 8, 2002
- Saxton
amendment to Beach Act in 2001 leads to 2002 $285,000 windfall -
March 18, 2002
- Saxton
Requests Gov. McGreevey to Nominate Barnegat
Estuary for New Presidential Watershed Initiative - March 12, 2002
- Congressmen
Urge Gov. McGreevey to Protect New Jersey's
Beaches - February 15, 2002
- Budget
Includes Funds for Shore - February 6, 2002
2001
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