North Wildwood’s Beach Mitigation Challenge
The City of North Wildwood and New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection have recently been at the center of a debate over North Wildwood’s sand mitigation obligations.
These obligations were imposed as a condition of the DEP authorization dated May 17, 2023.
Stopping North Wildwood Beach Replenishments?
The DEP’s requirement was for the City to replenish sand on its beach due to sand disturbance caused during emergent bulkhead construction. The City, however, contends that this task is impractical before the commencement of a larger, engineered beach and dune project known as the “Shore Protection Project.”
It is no secret that the delay in the construction of the Shore Protection Project has frustrated both the City of North Wildwood and the public. This project, designed to safeguard the shoreline from Hereford Inlet to Cape May, is fully funded by federal and state resources.
Shawn LaTourette, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection, said in a letter to North Wildwood said the delay is attributed to the years-long resistance from neighboring municipalities on Five Mile Island to support this crucial initiative. While erosional forces continue to strip sand from North Wildwood, the delay in implementing the Shore Protection Project has only worsened the situation.
To resolve the standoff between North Wildwood and its neighboring municipalities, the DEP intervened and managed to bring these parties to an agreement. The DEP’s effort paved the way for the Shore Protection Project to move forward.
This project is now in the detailed design phase and is expected to commence construction in early 2025. However, it is essential to highlight the importance of ongoing support from neighboring municipal leaders to ensure the project stays on track.
The City of North Wildwood has a history of facilitating sand replenishment at its own expense by back-passing sand from Wildwood.
LaTourette says that this practice could serve as an interim solution while waiting for the Shore Protection Project to materialize.
New Jersey’s DEP believes that with minor adjustments to past techniques, a backpass could be possible.
In the absence of a neighborly agreement on back-passing or alternative sand procurement, the City might consider incremental bulkheading, though it may not always be advisable or approvable when other viable shore protection measures are available.
LaTourette’s letter does address the misconception over the receipt emergency authorization of the 15th street bulkhead. According to him, bulkhead installation at 15th Avenue was not a response to the dune breach on October 1, 2023. Instead, the EA was issued before the breach at the urging of the DEP’s Division of Land Resource Protection (DLRP) and with the Department’s assistance.
Also See: NJ Offshore Wind Farm Slapped With New Lawsuit
The City of North Wildwood and the DEP find themselves in a complex situation regarding sand mitigation obligations and the delay in the Shore Protection Project.
While there are challenges to address, it is crucial for both the City and DEP to work together to ensure the best shore protection measures for the community’s long-term resilience.