Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) was joined yesterday by Monmouth Beach Mayor Susan Howard, Sea Bright Councilman Reed Murphy and Colonel Paul Owen, Commander of the Army Corps of Engineers New York District at the Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion to praise the progress of the beach replenishment project that has begun in Monmouth Beach and will proceed to Sea Bright.
This work represents a portion of the larger Army Corps of Engineers beach replenishment project covering a majority of the beaches from Sea Bright to Manasquan. Pallone fought for robust funding in the Sandy aid package passed by Congress, and over $100 million was allocated from that bill for this long needed project.
“The dredging equipment in Monmouth Beach today represents a great victory for our Jersey Shore beaches, which, for years, have desperately needed attention that was made worse by Sandy, ” said Pallone. “ Our beaches are a fundamental part of life here on the shore, both for residents to enjoy and also to drive tourism. From Sea Bright to Manasquan, we will reap the benefits of this investment in our beaches for years to come.”
“ The Army Corps of Engineers is pleased to be carrying out this emergency beach repair and restoration work which will mitigate the impacts of future storms, ” said New York District Commander Col. Paul E. Owen . “This work in Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach is the first part of a larger project that will restore beaches from Sea Bright to Manasquan. In addition to providing beach erosion control this work also helps the region heal from the impacts of Hurricane Sandy by restoring an important and central element to these coastal communities.”
Pallone and the Army Corps of Engineers announced today further details regarding the timeline for the beach replenishment project which will be completed through four contracts. The contract for the Long Branch portion will be awarded in mid-August, and the contract for the Asbury to Avon portion will be awarded in early September. The contract for Belmar to Manasquan will be awarded this week. The Army Corps estimates that the entire undertaking will be complete by the beginning of next year.
In June, Pallone announced that the Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $25 million contract for the Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach portion to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, LLC. The contractor will be using 2.5 million cubic yards of sand and must complete the project within 175 days after it starts.
The Sea Bright to Manasquan project is the largest beach nourishment project ever undertaken by the Army Corps of Engineers and the world’s biggest beach-fill project, in terms of sand volume. Once completed, the greater protective barrier between the coastal communities and the ocean will reduce the risk of flooding and storm related damages.
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Press Release, July 26, 2013