PETERSBURG – During public comment at the Oct. 13 Upper Township Committee meeting, Strathmere resident Ted Kingston asked about the quality of sand used as beach fill.
“Whether it’s spoils from dredging or backfill from commercial or residential construction, I’m wondering how good this sand is,” he said.
Engineer Paul Dietrich assured Kingston and the community at large by noting, “We follow very strict DEP (state Department of Environmental Protection) regulations, and there is constant monitoring by me and also DEP officials. We are all very vigilant about making sure everything we put on our beaches is of the right quality.
“We recently rejected a load of sand, and, overall, using this sand saves the township money. Anybody or any company that places something on our beaches must get a permit, which is not easy to obtain, and also get insurance that will indemnify the township in case we need to make a fix.”
Mayor Richard Palombo added, “We are totally following all protocols and DEP permitting to ensure the best sand possible for our township beaches.”
