Efforts Continue to Double Contributions to the State’s Shore Protection Fund

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Jersey Shore Partnership continues its efforts to get state legislation passed that would double the size of the $25 million Shore Protection Fund. On WOBM-AM's Townsquare Tonight partnership Executive Director Margo Walsh explained why the increase is needed.

"With sea level rise and global warming mounting it's impacting our beaches more frequently. We also learned from Sandy that we can't just treat beaches exclusively but we have to involve the bays and the rivers and the inlets that are all impacted by severe coastal storms. And we also learned that the future is not going to be a hundred year storm but it's going be much more frequent storm. So we wanted to be better prepared," Walsh said.

Walsh said their lobbying efforts began by getting the support of local mayors, many of whom passed resolutions to send to Trenton in support of increasing the amount of money the state contributes to the Shore Protection Fund.

She said their next step was to get state lawmakers in the Senate and Assembly to draft and sponsor legislation calling for the increase. The legislation is presently being crafted in the office of legislative services (OLS) and already has bipartisan support, Walsh said.

If the state's contribution to the Shore Protection Fund is increased, Walsh believes it would trigger greater funding from the federal government.

"It's a unique investment for the state because every project the federal government gives 65% of the cost of the project to the state's 25%," Walsh said.

New Jersey is reportedly the only state in the nation with a dedicated Shore Protection Fund.

Walsh said if the Shore Protection Fund is increased, the goal is not to spend it's money on beach replenishment projects right away. She said the goal is to be prepared for when another devastating name storm ravages the Jersey coastline and to be prepared.

According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) web site proceeds for the Shore Protection Fund are derived from funds collected from realty transfer fees by state statute N.J.S.A. 13:19-16.l. It said recent legislation has set the annual appropriation at $25,000,000 but Walsh said that figure has stayed the same for nearly 20 years.