At a high-level meeting with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Commander Lt. Col. Ramon Brigantti this week, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) continued his full-court press to ensure planned beach replenishment remains on schedule for Jersey shore towns in the Fourth Congressional District that have suffered serious beach erosion.

            The critical USACE project was made possible by $30.2 million in federal funds Smith secured earlier this year.

            “The Army Corps’ plan to replenish the coast stretching from the Manasquan Inlet to the Barnegat Inlet is essential for restoring our shoreline, strengthening our beautiful beaches and protecting our local economy that thrives on tourism,” said Rep. Smith. “We cannot afford needless delays to this crucial project.”

            Smith said he would arrange a follow-up meeting with local mayors from towns in his district facing harsh beach erosion together with the Army Corps of Engineers in the coming months to help facilitate a coordinated federal and local effort to keep the project on track.  Smith similarly hosted a very productive meeting of mayors, federal, state and local officials with the Army Corps last May.

            “I will continue to do everything I can to ensure these federal dollars are put to good use to repair the significant erosion resulting from intense storms and address serious safety concerns along the shore,” said Smith.

            The long-awaited funding finally came through after Smith wrote a letter in January to Assistant Secretary of the Army Michael Connor requesting the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act­­ be considered as a source for the much-needed federal dollars.

            In response to his letter, the Army Corps of Engineers told Smith in a phone call that his intervention was “perfectly timed” since the planned beach replenishment project was in jeopardy for lack of federal funds.

            The $30.2 million in federal dollars from the infrastructure legislation provides the entire federal share—or approximately fifty percent—of the project’s total costs.

PHOTO: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) meets with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Commander Lt. Col. Ramon Brigantti to continue his full-court press to ensure planned beach replenishment remains on schedule for Jersey shore towns in the Fourth Congressional District that have suffered serious beach erosion.