On January 31, 2024, the City of North Wildwood received a letter from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Division of Land Resource Protection (DLRP) Assistant Director Colleen Keller, stating the City’s EA request to construct a bulkhead between the midpoint between 12th-13th Aves. – 15th Ave. is denied.
Peter Lomax, Managing Principal of the Lomax Consulting Group, on behalf of the City as our Environmental Consultant, submitted the EA on January 19, 2024. The EA stated that multiple January storm events resulted in the City suffering a significant loss to the beach berm and remnant dune system, “leaving a multi-block section of the City at peril”. Mr. Lomax goes on to state the tidal conditions ultimately resulted in a breach of the dune between 13th & 14th Avenues, causing further damage to the dune and vegetated areas behind the dune. The absence of effective shore protection is expected to cause erosion to accelerate, placing City infrastructure at significant risk. Therefore, the City reaffirmed the need for emergency shore protection via installation of a bulkhead. The NJDEP ultimately disagreed.
The City intends to immediately appeal the NJDEP’s decision by filing an emergent motion in the Appellate Division.
For additional information, please contact (609) 522-6464
