NORTH WILDWOOD – The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued two notices of violation to the City of North Wildwood, one also naming the city’s construction contractor, BG Capital, LLC, of Philadelphia. DEP alleges that the city and its contractor violated five separate state laws while removing eight acres of mature dunes, installing an oceanfront bulkhead and erecting several buildings at its Seaport Pier entertainment complex.
DEP asserts that all of the construction activity occurred without proper engineering and environmental reviews and without the benefit of required DEP permits.
DEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe said that North Wildwood “showed complete disregard” for long-standing laws and regulations “that protect public safety and fragile ecosystems.”
Until and unless DEP approval is obtained, the city must halt all further disruption and construction in the impacted area. Failure to gain approval could leave the city with the task of restoring the area to its pre-construction state and removing all structures put in place without approval.
A release from DEP suggests that more may be at stake. DEP states that North Wildwood’s participation in a federal and state Storm Damage Reduction Project that includes periodic beach nourishment over at least 50 years “may be affected by the disturbance cited in the Notices of Violation.”
The city has not issued a response to the violations.
The DEP release can be found here. Copies of the two notices of violation are available here and here.
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