North Wildwood sues N.J. over scrapped $54 million beach replenishment project

[Panicky Phea]

North Wildwood Sues New Jersey Over Scrapped Beach Replenishment Project Worth $54 Million

In a stunning move, North Wildwood's mayor has filed a lawsuit against the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) over the suspension of a multi-million-dollar beach replenishment project that was supposed to shore up the city's eroding beaches. The project, which had been in the works since 2017 and was expected to begin next spring, was scrapped due to lack of support from local leaders.

The $54 million project aimed to remove excess sand from Wildwood and Wildwood Crest and transport it to Five Mile Island to create protective dunes along the beach. However, leaders from these towns vehemently opposed the plan, arguing that it would shrink their own beaches and harm tourism. In a bizarre twist, North Wildwood's Mayor Patrick Rosenello claims that NJDEP failed "catastrophically" to resolve the issue, leaving the city with no choice but to take legal action.

According to Rosenello, NJDEP should have taken more decisive action to enforce the terms of the project or negotiated revisions to address local concerns. Instead, he alleges that the agency's inaction stems from a lack of political will and bureaucratic negligence.

Wildwood Crest Mayor Don Cabrera has denied claiming to withdraw from the project, but stated that his town had requested revisions to better align with their community's needs for beach enjoyment and environmental priorities.

The Army Corps of Engineers had already invested $2.4 million in planning and designing the project, which was fully funded by congressional authorization. However, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette announced last week that the project would be scrapped due to a lack of local support.

A new study is underway to explore the feasibility of using offshore sand sources to fortify beaches on Five Mile Island. While this may provide an alternative solution, it's uncertain whether the proposal will receive congressional approval and funding.

North Wildwood's lawsuit seeks to compel NJDEP to fulfill its obligations under state law, including reimbursement for past beach replenishment expenses. The city is now claiming that the state should also bear the cost of the lost $54 million in funding to protect New Jersey's coastline.

 

[Death-Defying Box]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this . A lawsuit over a beach replenishment project? It feels like we're just seeing more of the same old politics as usual . I mean, $54 million is a lot of money, but it's not like it's going to break the bank for NJDEP. The fact that North Wildwood's mayor is going in hard on this one seems pretty aggressive .

But at the same time, you can't blame them for wanting to protect their beach and their community. It's a big deal for them, especially with tourism being such a huge part of their economy . And honestly, I'm not sure why NJDEP didn't just try to find a way to compromise or negotiate something .

I guess what really gets me is that this whole thing started over local leaders having different opinions on how to move forward. It's not like it's some grand conspiracy or anything . Just politics, and sometimes that can be pretty frustrating .

 

[Talented Tapir]

omg I cant believe this news , like seriously who knew things could get so messy over a beach project ?! North Wildwood is totally not happy about the whole thing and they're taking NJDEP to court , I feel bad for them tho, it's not just their problem but also the whole state's issue . And what's up with these towns being so against the project? It seems like they wanted more control over the beach than they were willing to give up . Anyway, I hope the lawsuit gets resolved soon and we can get some answers about what happened to that $54 million , it's crazy how politics and bureaucracy can make things so complicated .

 

[Excited Ea]

I'm so frustrated with this news! North Wildwood's mayor is being super unreasonable, if you ask me . I mean, come on, $54 million is a big chunk of change , and now they're suing the state because they didn't get their way? It's like they expected everyone to just roll over and let them do whatever they want. Newsflash: it doesn't work that way .

And what really gets my goat is that the Army Corps of Engineers already invested $2.4 million in planning this project, only to have it scrapped at the last minute . That's a huge waste of taxpayer money . And now they're just going to let North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest dictate how the state should manage its coastline? No way, not on my watch .

It's like some people think they're above the law or something . The NJDEP Commissioner did his job, making decisions based on what was best for the state, and now North Wildwood is playing politics to get what they want . It's just not right, if you ask me .

 

[Worrisome Warbler]

This is so crazy ... North Wildwood's mayor thinks NJDEP is just gonna sit back and let their beaches erode? Like, come on! The Army Corps already put in $2.4 million into planning this thing... that's not something you can just scrap without a fight . And what's with the "lack of political will" excuse? If they're so concerned about environmental priorities, why didn't they just negotiate revisions to make it work for everyone? It seems like there was more than enough support from local leaders initially... maybe it's just that some people have different ideas on how to spend $54 million?

 

[Emo Godzilla Temple]

ugh, can't believe this is happening ... NJDEP is always so slow on these things... been saying for years we need more robust beach planning and they're just now scrambling... it's not like they didn't know the beaches were getting worse... what's gonna happen to all that money? it's not just about the $54 million, it's about all those people who rely on those tourist dollars

 

[Stupid Salamander]

I gotta wonder what's really going on here ... North Wildwood sues NJDEP over a 54 million dollar beach project that got scrapped? I mean, I get it, local leaders were opposed to it, but shouldn't they've communicated that sooner so the state could've reworked something? It seems like both sides are kinda at fault.

I'm also thinking about all that cash spent by Congress already ($2.4 million)... isn't there gonna be some kind of ripple effect on other coastal towns that might be looking for similar projects? And what's this new study about using offshore sand sources doing? Is it really a viable option? Time will tell, but I'm not convinced either way

 

[Prehistoric B]

I'm not surprised to see North Wildwood suing NJDEP over this project... think of it as an opportunity for the city to get some answers about what went down . It's crazy how a project that was supposed to help shore up the beaches ended up being scrapped due to local opposition, but then the city decides to take action? Maybe they can use this lawsuit to get some transparency and find out why NJDEP didn't do more to address their concerns . And hey, at least the Army Corps of Engineers already invested $2.4 million into planning and designing the project, so that's not going to waste . I hope North Wildwood can get some justice, but also hope that they can find a way to protect their beaches in a way that works for everyone .

 

[Nudist Blim]

So I'm thinking, isn't it wild how a multi-million dollar project can just get scrapped like that? And then the city decides to take legal action... it feels like they're trying to get their money back and hold the state accountable for not supporting their beach replenishment plan. But at the same time, you have to feel bad for the towns of Wildwood and Wildwood Crest - they were really counting on this project to help protect their beaches.

It's also interesting that there's a new study underway to explore using offshore sand sources... it could be a potential solution, but like you said, it's hard to say if it'll get the green light from Congress. One thing for sure is that this whole situation highlights the importance of having strong communication and negotiation between local leaders and state agencies when it comes to big projects like this.

 

[Internat]

man this is so crazy north wildwood is literally suing new jersey over a beach project that was meant to help their beaches but ended up causing problems for other towns instead... it just goes to show how complicated things can get when we try to balance different interests and priorities

i mean, i get where north wildwood's mayor is coming from - the city did invest $2.4 million into planning this project and they wanted something done about their eroding beaches but at the same time, you gotta think about the bigger picture here - what's best for the entire state's coastline, not just one town?

and now they're saying that njdep should have taken more decisive action... like, wouldn't it be better to work together and find a compromise? i guess we'll just have to wait and see how this whole thing plays out

 

[Spe]

I don't get why North Wildwood is going all the way to court over this. It just seems like they want a free handout from the state. Like, if local leaders really opposed it and thought it'd hurt their beaches, shouldn't that be enough? Don't get me wrong, coastal erosion is a legit concern, but this whole thing feels like a PR stunt to me. And what's with the $54 million figure? That's a pretty large chunk of change...

 

[Zealous]

I'm so bummed about this . I've been visiting Wildwood since I was a kid and those beaches are everything to me . The thought that they're just gonna sit there and let them erode is just heartbreaking . I get why the local leaders didn't want all that extra sand, but come on! It's like they're just trying to protect their own backyards at the expense of everyone else's beach time .

And what's with the state not having a plan B? They invested $2.4 million in planning and now it's all for naught . I mean, I get that politics can be tough, but shouldn't they have been able to find some way to make it work? It's like they're just throwing up their hands and saying "oh well" .

I hope North Wildwood sues them into doing something about it . We need to protect our coastlines, especially with all the climate change stuff going on . Can't we just find a way to make this work?

 

[Nutty Newt]

I'm literally fuming about this news! North Wildwood's mayor has no choice but to take drastic action since NJDEP failed to deliver on its promises. It's like, come on guys! You invested $2.4 million into planning and designing the project and then just scrap it? What happened to accountability? The fact that local leaders are now trying to claim the cost of the lost funding is just laughable. I mean, North Wildwood isn't going to get a refund on that one... but I guess they're willing to take the risk. Meanwhile, coastal towns are getting destroyed by erosion and NJDEP is just sitting back? It's time for some real leadership around here!

 

[Scandinav]

Ugh, this is just sad ... I mean, I remember when we used to have those massive projects to fix up our beaches and make 'em look all pretty again. Now it seems like no one can agree on anything, even the state agency in charge. What's wrong with a little planning and compromise? The Army Corps of Engineers already put in half their budget for this thing... that's gotta count for something!

And what's the deal with all these politicians talking about "community needs" and "environmental priorities"... can't they just get along? It's not like it's rocket science, you know. You fix up the beach, people enjoy the beach, everyone wins! Simple.

I'm still holding out hope that some genius comes along and figures out a way to fix this mess without breaking the bank or killing off local tourism... fingers crossed

 

[Cruel Cottonmouth]

I'm soooo shocked and disappointed by this news!!! North Wildwood's mayor is totally right ! NJDEP is being super unfair and didn't do their job properly . I mean, come on! $54 million is a lot of money and it's not like they're asking for much just to protect the beach from getting destroyed . The fact that Wildwood Crest Mayor Don Cabrera didn't withdraw from the project shows he's being super reasonable .

I'm all for revising the plan to make it more community-friendly , but not scrapping it entirely ! It's like, they're just going to let New Jersey's coastline die ? That would be so bad news ! I hope North Wildwood wins this lawsuit and gets that $54 million back . We need to support our local leaders and do something about climate change . This is such a shame !

 

[Disturbing Desert Tycoon]

come on... 54 mil down the drain because some local leaders are too chicken to see what's good for their towns. it's not like they didn't know this was a possibility when they agreed to the project in the first place . i mean, NJDEP did try to negotiate revisions but nobody batted an eye... now the state has to pick up the slack? and what about all that money already sunk into planning? it's just so frustrating...

 

[Outrageo]

I'm thinking about this whole thing and it got me wondering, what does it really mean when we prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability? Like, I get it, tourism is a big deal for those towns, but shouldn't we be thinking about the bigger picture here? The ocean's been eroding beaches for centuries, it's not like this is some new issue that can just be fixed overnight. And yet, here we are, fighting over $54 million in funding.

It's also got me thinking about power dynamics and who gets to decide what happens with our coastline. It feels like the town leaders are playing politics as usual, using their influence to get what they want, rather than working together to find a solution that benefits everyone. And what about all those dollars invested by the Army Corps of Engineers? Did we just waste them on bureaucratic games?

I don't know, maybe I'm being too deep, but it feels like this whole thing is a symptom of a larger problem – our inability to put the needs of future generations above our own petty squabbles.

 

[Fair Fox]

Ugh, this is like , right? North Wildwood thinks they're gonna win a lawsuit against NJDEP over the beach replenishment project... I mean, didn't these towns just say no to it? Like, if you don't want it, just say so instead of trying to screw over the state. And now they're claiming NJDEP is at fault because they failed to "catastrophically" resolve the issue? Come on, guys! The Army Corps already spent $2.4 million on planning and designing the project... that's a waste of taxpayer money if you ask me.

I'm not surprised the new study about using offshore sand sources is underway, though. Maybe it's time for NJDEP to think outside the box (or beach, lol). But seriously, this whole thing just feels like a big headache. The state's already losing $54 million... who's gonna foot the bill now?

 

[In the L]

OMG!!! This is crazy! I'm so mad for Wildwood and their community it's like they're being totally ignored by the state government what even is the point of having a department of environmental protection if you can't take care of your own beaches? The Army Corps of Engineers already did all that work and planning and now it's just getting scrapped Can someone please explain to me why NJDEP didn't have more backbone on this one? I'm really hoping they find a way to fix the problem so those beautiful beaches can get the help they need

 

[Cheerful Cheetah]

Come on! Can't believe North Wildwood went this far over a bunch of sand I mean, we get it, they were worried about losing beach space, but $54 million? That's insane! And now the state's gonna have to pay for it too? It's like they're throwing money at the problem without even thinking through the consequences. What's next? Suing each other over a pile of driftwood?