Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will pay $1.15 million to Neptune Township to rebuild the Shark River Municipal Marina Building which was destroyed during Superstorm Sandy.

    “As we approach the third anniversary of Sandy devastating our communities, it is important that we continue to fight to rebuild and recover,” Smith said. “The residents of Neptune are strong and resilient, and they are working every day to not just replace what Sandy took, but to make their communities even better. The long-overdue rebuilding of the Shark River Marina Building is one more step to total recovery.”

    Smith toured the area of the Shark River Marina and other areas of Monmouth and Ocean counties in the days following Sandy and met personally with affected residents and local officials. He has since worked to secure federal funding to rebuild lives and homes.

    “After Sandy, I met many tenacious women and men who despite considerable personal losses were happy to be alive and determined to rebuild. Today’s commitment by FEMA to cover 90 percent of the cost of rebuilding this community hub is one more step in our physical and psychological recovery,” Smith said.

    Upon learning of the grant from Smith’s office today, a township official released a statement saying: “It was with great enthusiasm we received the official news that FEMA will provide the Township with $1,156,835.70 in Sandy reconstruction funds for the Township’s municipal marina. These funds equate to 90% of the cost to undertake the reconstruction of the marina multi-use building. Now nearly three years post storm the marina building construction is underway. On behalf of the Mayor and Township Committee, our administrative and emergency management team and our residents, I thank you for your continued support of Neptune Township.”

    The new building will be built to current codes and standards, will take into consideration current base flood elevation levels, and will comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. In addition, the design of the new facility will incorporate the function of the multipurpose marina building that was also destroyed as a result of Superstorm Sandy.

    Smith announced earlier this week that the federal government has obligated $28 million to dredge State waterways, including $7.6 million for Shark River, which were filled with silt and debris as a result of Superstorm Sandy.  FEMA had originally denied funding to many of the waterways, but this week reversed its earlier denial of a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) request to seek the funding.  Smith sent a letter to FEMA Region II Administrator Jerome Hatfield asking the federal agency to cover the cost of the dredging and overturn the denial. Click here to read the May 2015 letter.

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