BEACH TOWNS UNITE TO FIX EROSION PROBLEMS

BEACH TOWNS UNITE TO FIX EROSION PROBLEMS
Cleve Bryan ( cbryan@nbc40.net ) - 10/27/08 04:25 pm

http://www.nbc40.net/pages/videoplayer/video.php?vid=7295

AVALON - "It tears your heart out, it really does," That's how Avalon resident Bob Drummond feels when he looks at the erosion on his town's beaches.

Heavy erosion from recent storms has hit Cape May County hard from Stone Harbor north to Ocean City, with Strathmere feeling some of the worst effects.
Recently the North end lost 20 acres of sand in about 2 days.

"In 25 words or less, unbelievable," says Frank McCall, Director of Cape May County’s Department of Emergency Management.

Today representatives of several towns gathered to discuss the damages.

They plan to put together a preliminary damage assessment survey to increase the county's eligibility for state and federal beach repair assistance money.

If damages total 11 million dollars or more, the chances for help could be much better.

"We want to go through the process openly and honestly because this is not just about beach replenishment, this is about the protection of the Jersey Shore," says McCall.

The State Department of Environmental Protection was involved in the meeting as well because Corson's Inlet State Park on Strathmere's North end is gone.

"Not only is this a state park for the tourists and the locals to visit and all that, there are some endangered species that are normally in here so we're concerned about that," says Art Treon, Deputy Director of Cape May County’s Department of Emergency Management.