PRESS RELEASE FROM CONGRESSMAN FRANK LOBIONDO’S OFFICE:
House Committee Approves More than $11 Million for South Jersey’s Beach Replenishment, Construction Projects
Full House Set to Approve Projects Secured by LoBiondo Next Week
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) has secured $11,250,000 in federal funding for local beach replenishment and construction projects in New Jersey’s 2nd District, including $6,500,000 for beach renourishment in Ocean City’s north end and $2,000,000 for beach renourishment in Atlantic City. The federal dollars were secured in the Fiscal Year 2010 Energy-Water Appropriations bill, which was approved by the House Appropriations Committee this week and is set to go to the full House of Representatives for consideration next week.
“At a time of strained local budgets and reduced state assistance, this is certainly great news for many of our coastal communities, including Ocean City and Atlantic City,” said LoBiondo. “Contrary to what some may believe who don’t understand South Jersey, our beaches are not about sun tans but about the countless small businesses and the thousands of jobs in our region. This funding represents a continued commitment by the federal government to enhance the economic strengths of South Jersey, and will continue to bolster the local economies of our coastal communities who are so dependent on tourism for jobs and their livelihood. I appreciate fellow New Jersey Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen’s leadership and will continue to work for additional funding for these critical projects.”
Other local projects funded within the spending bill include:
· $500,000 for the dredging of the New Jersey Intercoastal Waterway;
· $500,000 to begin the construction process of the beach renourishment project in Sea Isle City and Strathmere;
· $400,000 for environmental restoration at The Lower Cape May Meadows project. Approximately 350 acres containing the Cape May Point State Park and the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge, the project is designed to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitats in the area, and to reduce hurricane and storm damage to the beaches;
· $300,000 for the Townsends Inlet to Cape May Inlet project, for the renourishment of sand in Stone Harbor and Avalon;
· $250,000 for the Cold Spring Inlet dredging project;
· $200,000 to monitor erosion in Cape May City, from Cape May Inlet to Lower Township; and,
· $100,000 for the dredging of the Salem River.
Additionally, the Committee-passed spending bill includes $500,000 for the construction of wind turbines in Sea Isle City and Penns Grove on each municipality’s waste site. The funding was requested by the South Jersey Economic Development District.
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