Don’t Be Duped By Dunes Decision
Gov. Christie Turns Policy Vulnerability into PR Victory – Again
Christie Reckless Rebuild Ignores Climate Change & Sea Level Rise
NJ “Drunk of federal funds” – On A “Hazardous” and “Unsustainable” Path
piles of sand along NJ coast - these are not dunes (Normandy Beach - looking north towards Mantolooking
DEP impediment to managing coastal hazards: “public perception that large-scale beach nourishment projects eliminate vulnerability to coastal hazards”
[Important Update below]
Once again, Gov. Christie has hoodwinked the media and turned a huge policy vulnerability into a huge political and media PR win.
Once again the clueless media have given the Governor a national platform to self promote.
Today, in response to a legal settlement with a coastal homeowner on dune easements, national and NJ media are buzzing about the Gov.’s efforts to protect the coast from storms, allegedly making it more “resilient” (Huffington Post/AP national story):
“It is a proven fact that having dunes along our coastline makes everyone safer, and today I’m acting to move the building process forward,” Christie said. “As we rebuild from Superstorm Sandy, we need to make sure we are stronger, more resilient and prepared for future storms, and dunes are a major component of this process.”
NJ is less prepared for future storms and actually will be worse off when the next one hits as a result of the Gov.’s policy failures and lack of planning.
There are critical facts that expose the Gov.’s self serving spin that are completely ignored, including the recent testimony of former DEP Commissioner Mark Mauriello, a coastal geologist with 30 years experience, who called Christie’s Sandy recovery plan “drunk on federal money”, and a “dangerous path” that is costly and economically “unsustainable“.
[Inquiring minds can read the entire Legislative joint environmental Committee special hearing on Sandy recovery here.]
What is going on on NJ shore right now is status quo beach replenishment in drag, supplemented by local efforts to pile sand and call them dunes.
The USACE is not building dunes – under Sandy bailout, Congress required that the Corps submit a Report to Congress before they appropriate money for further work.
The “dunes” that are being built in NJ by local governments are piles of sand that will wash out with a minor nor ‘easter. (see above and below photos)
Meanwhile, the facts that Gov. Christie recklessly promoted rebuilding in hazardous areas, deregulated rebuilding from DEP environmental review, and that even real dunes are not a panacea go completely unreported.
Gov. Christie continues to deny risks of climate change and sea level rise and has failed to incorporate them in Sandy HUD rebuild plans or the NJ Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Remarkably, in fact, DEP historically had always issued warnings to the public that beach replenishment projects create a false sense of security and invite more development to hazardous areas.
Instead of costly beach engineering, DEP recommended that development had to be directed away from hazardous locations under a policy of “strategic retreat”.
But just like the George Bush White House rewriting EPA Climate Change reports, those DEP warnings have been deleted not just from the media reports, but from official DEP Coastal Hazard Assessment documents that are submitted to NOAA for approval.
Here is what the DEP has historically warned the public about – warnings that have been DELETED by the Christie Administration – THIS IS A SCANDALOUS SUPPRESSION OF SCIENCE
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All of the impediments to meeting this 309 programmatic objective that appeared in the last New Jersey Coastal Zone Section 309 Assessment and Strategy remain. These include lobbying efforts of special interest groups, legal challenges to DEP permit decisions, provision of flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program, and public perception that large-scale beach nourishment projects eliminate vulnerability to coastal hazards. ~~~ NJ DEP, 2006 […] Titus demonstrates (link) that in certain instances, structural engineering solutions will not be practical or economically feasible. In these cases future public and private development and redevelopment must be directed |
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away from the hazardous areas. While some derogatorily refer to this option as “retreat,” from the perspective of sound planning based on the best available science, the concept actually involves “strategic adjustment.” Prudent planning requires that we expand upon the existing studies of the societal, economic, and environmental costs of possible mitigative actions while the greatest number of alternatives exist.The state’s coastal area continues to experience substantial seasonal and residential population increases. Conversion of formerly seasonal homes to year-round residences continues unabated. In many instances, formerly modest houses are replaced with significantly more expensive homes while property values continue to escalate.
At the same time, risks associated with coastal hazards continue to increase. Factors such as escalating sea level rise and cyclical and possibly long-term increases in storm frequency and intensity threaten both the natural environment and built environment of New Jersey’s coast. Consequently, the ranking of the Coastal Hazards Section 309 enhancement area remains a high priority with the NJCMP. |
For deleted findings, see this:
[Update 9/30/13 – Even conservative Star Ledger columnist Paul Mulshine gets it and called BS on the dune diversion:
Don’t worry. The Army Corps of Engineers is replenishing all of the beaches in Monmouth County. One problem: No dunes are included in the plan. Chris Gardner, a spokesman for the New York district of the Army Corps, told me the project must conform to the original design for beach replenishment that was implemented in the late 1990s. That design did not include dunes and this one won’t either, he said.
“We can only do what we’re authorized to do,” said Gardner. If the state wants the Corps to pump enough sand for dunes, then the state will have to chip in, he said. – end update]
These are NOT DUNES
Look closely and see how the base of this pile of sand has already washed out
piles of sand - Toms River, NJ
Toms River NJ - I was told the town is building 3 miles of these sand piles
THIS IS WHT REBUILD MADNESS LOOKS LIKE _ high density development, rebuilt right on the beach, no dunes.
