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PROTECT OUR COASTLINE
I was appalled (but not surprised) to read this quote from Stewart Farrell
of Stockton University’s Coastal Research Center in the July article “Ten
Years After Sandy”: “New Jersey’s oceanfront is actually in the best shape of
anywhere in the country.” Let’s be frank. New Jersey’s oceanfront has been
devastated by the Army Corps of Engineers at a cost of more than a billion
dollars. And that devastation will be repeated for another 40 years. Worse,
these projects have destroyed marine life along our coast. Everyone remembers
being told as a child to hold a seashell to your ear and “listen to the
ocean.” Good luck with that today. You can now walk hundreds of yards on
most of our beaches without finding a seashell bigger than a pinkie nail. And
most of this work has the sole purpose of protecting the beachfront mansions
of the uber-rich. Who says money can’t buy happiness? As long as it’s
your money and their happiness. Last October, a group of more than 20 conservation
and environmental groups banded together to protest the damage
and waste caused by these projects. The New Jersey coast is a treasure and
a gift. The way we have treated it is shameful. We can and should do better.
—Ross Kushner
new jersey coastal alliance
I am a federal-affairs lobbyist for local
governments, including some in New
Jersey. Our firm specializes in coastal
matters. I enjoyed your article and found
it to be far more informative than most
that I read. There are serious issues along
New Jersey’s coast and equally serious
ones along its back bays. The shores of the
latter lack the public access and other features
that have enabled the coastal communities
to get federal beach-nourishment
assistance. The SHORE Act that was
mentioned is a very helpful bill. However,
it was not meant to be a bill that passed on
its own. Some of its provisions have been
incorporated into the Senate’s version of
a biannual Water Resources Development
Act. That bill sets policies and authorizes
projects and programs. However, it does
not appropriate a single dollar.
—Howard Marlowe
president, warwick group consultants
See Your Home in NJM
Does your home have a unique story?
Did you complete a great renovation? Do
guests love your interior design? If your
abode belongs in NJM, send a description
of what makes it special, plus 3-5 photos,
to editor@njmonthly.com.
Get Our Shore App
Check out our Jersey Shore Beach Guide
app, a location-based information source
you’ll use until Labor Day and beyond. It
covers 40+ beaches and directs you to the
nearest attractions by location. Download
it from the App Store or Google Play.
Last year’s
grand prize
winner
BOOKS IN BLUME
I knew that so many great writers sprouted
from our Garden State. But I just learned
that my favorite author growing up, Judy
Blume, is from my home state (“Judy
Blume in Reel Life,” July)! I look forward to
the documentary being made about her.
—@classicguitarnj
via twitter
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12 SEPTEMBER 2022 NJMONTHLY.COM