BOEM’s Hurricane Sandy response on New Jersey’s Atlantic Coast making steady progress

BOEM’s Hurricane Sandy funding for New Jersey helps identify new offshore sand resources, improve mapping and data quality, restore habitat, reconstruct shoreline, and increase coastal resilience and restoration planning.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) $13.6 million for Hurricane Sandy response included $400,000 to support a cooperative agreement between BOEM and New Jersey to identify sand resources for coastal resilience and restoration planning. The funding enables state research to help restore habitat, increase our knowledge of sand resources offshore, and contribute to long-term coastal resilience planning. Assessment of sand resources offshore Monmouth and Northern Ocean counties supports a range of activities, including shoreline and habitat restoration. The state’s Geological and Water Survey is developing resource maps and reviewing existing marine geological studies to assist BOEM in identifying sand resources that can be included in coastal resilience and restoration planning. They also have an ongoing program to identify sand resources in state and federal waters. Given the magnitude of the need, New York received $400,000 under its cooperative agreement. Eleven states received $200,000 each.

In addition to statewide efforts, BOEM partnered with the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to aid in completing the remaining sections of the Storm Damage Reduction Project at Long Beach Island, Ocean County.  This massive Sandy-related project, which began in May 2015, supports the community’s recovery and promotes resilient coastal systems.
 
BOEM granted the USACE authority to dredge up to 7 million cubic yards of OCS sand for use on its shoreline, making it the largest amount of OCS sand conveyed by BOEM along the Atlantic Coast for a single project to date. NJDEP played a significant role in helping to assess project needs. Sand dredged from federal offshore waters is being placed along 11.5 miles of shoreline between Barnegat Inlet and Little Egg Inlet in the previously unconstructed portions of the project.  The dune vegetative species planted will help resilience take root and trap wind-blown sand to facilitate more robust dunes.

More information: 

Press Release 05/07/2015 

Press 07/03/2014 

Press 05/12/2014 

Marine Minerals Program 

BOEM