An offshore brush by Hurricane Erin demonstrated the function of engineered dunes and beaches, as sand was lost while lives and both public and private property were threatened by pounding surf. To some, it seems like a complete waste of money to renourish a beach, only to have much of it washed away by the next big storm.
Indisputably, however, dollars spent are not an expense, but rather an investment to protect lives and property while fueling the economic engine in Cape May County and other seashore communities in the United States. Yes, even when beaches wash away during the next big storm.
J. Palaparthi and T.R. Briggs (2024) researched sediment management in the United States, concluding that states, including New Jersey, are in a good position to reduce beach sediment activities in the future due to well-developed beach nourishment programs that combat erosion. Federally sponsored beach fill projects serve as ideal examples of shared services agreements among federal, state and local partners that provide significant benefits far beyond the coastal communities where sand is placed.
Simply stated, sand is our business. Every job in Cape May County is reliant on sand being on our beaches. Beach projects do not occur to placate wealthy property owners in beachfront communities. Evidence is to the contrary and lies in factual research.
J.R. Houston (2024) conducted a study on the economic impact of sand on our beaches, determining beaches generate $36 billion in taxes each year, which is four times greater than the cumulative sum of all beach project costs in our nation over the past 100 years.
Each beach tourist in the United States generates $3,000 in economic output, $1,400 in direct spending, and $200 for every dollar spent on beach nourishment. Beach nourishment projects prevented $1.3 billion in damage to New Jersey and New York during Hurricane Sandy. Beach nourishment is not an expense, but an investment that pays rich dividends to all of us, creating a quality of life we enjoy.
Advocacy occurs on all levels. Our region has been blessed with strong leadership and support on coastal management issues from Congressman Jeff Van Drew and by former Congressman Frank LoBiondo. It is extraordinarily difficult for our federal leaders to ask for support for beach projects from colleagues in Nebraska, for example, when they learn the sand washes away in a couple of years.
But it gets done. Van Drew has delivered tens of millions of dollars to our district to preserve lives and property and maintain the lifestyle we expect. He is now working hard in our collective behalf to create a permanent source of beach nourishment projects that has never existed prior. That effort demonstrates command of the issue and leadership to preserve beach communities throughout our country. Protecting and preserving our nation’s coastline is not a political issue. It’s an American issue that obligates us to stand as one.
It is important to understand that beach fees do not finance beach fills. Beach fees pay for lifeguards, beach cleaning, safety equipment and other amenities. It is also important to understand that individuals who live in beach communities who do not use the beach derive significant benefits, as engineered beaches and dunes protect the entire community, including their homes.
Today, pumping sand on the beach every few years remains the most efficient and economic means to maintain protective beaches against coastal storms. Alternatives are and should be explored to help combat erosional hot spots and retain sand on the beach.
Every morning on Avalon Boulevard we see vehicles flooding into our community. The drivers of those vehicles serve at our restaurants, build new homes, staff professional offices, install heating and cooling systems, rent and sell properties and so on. Why? One reason only, there is sand on the beach to protect the community and provide an important secondary recreational benefit that is the fuel that fires up our economic engine. Without sand on the beach, the Boulevard is empty.
Those who believe nature should take the beaches with no effort to restore them or slow down erosion, please, be careful what you wish for. If we ignore nourishment of beaches, we endanger lives and property while simultaneously destroying our economy and way of life. You and I have something in common: We work to provide for our families because there’s sand on our beaches.
Editor’s note: Scott Wahl is the business administrator for Avalon Borough.
