North Wildwood Sues New Jersey For $21 Million

On January 4th, North Wildwood filed a lawsuit in Superior Court against the state of New Jersey for $21 million.

The lawsuit alleges that New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has failed to address beach erosion in the community, leading to North Wildwood having to spend significant funds on fighting erosion over the past decade.

This is referring to the multiple bulkheads, dune rebuilds, and beach replenishments done to stop the ocean swells from destroying public and private property.

North Wildwood Sues New Jersey For $21 Million

The suit also mentions a beach replenishment project that was planned in 2012 but never started.

In December, the DEP sued North Wildwood in an attempt to prevent the community from installing a 400-foot steel bulkhead to bolster its dune system.

The bulkhead was ordered by North Wildwood after fall storms caused erosion, but the DEP rejected the plan, stating that there was no immediate threat of “loss of life or property” and that the new infrastructure could potentially worsen erosion.

Despite the DEP’s rejection, North Wildwood officials went ahead with work on the dunes, stating that they had become a safety hazard.

This led to a legal dispute between the DEP and North Wildwood. The DEP subsequently sued North Wildwood in an effort to halt the bulkhead’s installation.

North Wildwood’s latest legal action not only seeks the $21 million in expenses but also requests permission to proceed with the bulkhead.

The $21 million being sought by North Wildwood is also connected to a promised dune replenishment by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and DEP following Superstorm Sandy in 2012, which has yet to be completed.

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The lawsuit came in the form of a 54-page document that outlines not only the case but also future projects down the line.

One of those projects is a bulkhead that would complete a full city-wide one that starts at 3rd street.

In its current form, the North Wildwood Bulkhead ends at 13th street. The proposed project would see a bulkhead run on the current dune path all the way to 25th street.

To create a wasted end, opened end where water could still come in, the new bulkhead would run down the Northern side of Morey’s Surfside Pier.