OCEAN CITY — Ocean City’s beaches are going to be fine this coming summer.
That was the message from city officials about plans to fix beaches damaged by storms at the end of last summer. It was coupled with a plea from Mayor Jay Gillian for residents to stop posting pictures of sand-depleted beaches because it is creating a misleading and negative picture for a resort dependent on tourism.
Near the start of Ocean City Council’s Dec. 18 meeting, Gillian said the city has been working with U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew on getting federal funding.
Van Drew has asked Gov. Phil Murphy and Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill to declare a state of emergency for eroded beaches because there are federal funds available. Gillian said Van Drew identified a source of emergency assistance in the event a disaster declaration were made.
In his letter to Murphy and Sherrill, Van Drew requested the emergency declaration and to “take all necessary steps to secure federal assistance for the severe coastal erosion and storm damage affecting the Jersey Shore.
“I have identified some funding through the Disaster Supplemental of 2025 Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies account that is available for this purpose, but these funds can only be tapped if the state advances disaster measures,” he wrote.
The congressman pointed out how the shore since July has “suffered intense wind, wave and water impacts from storm events including Hurricane Erin, Hurricane Imelda, offshore Hurricane Humberto and a succession of destructive nor’easters. These cumulative events have caused significant dune loss, beach profile collapse and damage to public infrastructure in multiple municipalities.”
He pointed out that in October, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection formally documented “major” impacts across wide stretches of the coastline, and several shore towns have already issued local states of emergency.
“The breadth and severity of this damage now poses a direct threat to public safety, critical infrastructure and federally authorized Coastal Storm Risk Management projects,” he wrote. “Under Public Law 84-99, federal emergency assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cannot be mobilized until the state has declared an emergency or disaster and formally requests federal support. State action is therefore a necessary legal prerequisite to unlock federal emergency authorities that can stabilize beaches, repair erosion, and restore protective coastal features before further damage occurs.”
Gillian said the city has been working for months on getting funding.
“The money is there,” he said. “We’re going to be ready for the 2026 season.”
He lamented social media posts of pictures showing storm-damaged beaches, people taking pictures “of one little thing,” while most of the city’s beaches are in good shape.
“Any negativity destroys Ocean City and our economy when they go online and post that there’s no beach,” he said. “We spend millions promoting Ocean City for betterment for all of us, but if you go online and say (things like that), it hurts so many families.”
“Positivity is just so important,” Gillian said.
He, Councilman Jody Levchuk and Business Administrator George Savastano made a point that there are eight miles of beaches on the island, the majority are in good shape and the others will be improved by summer.
“Our beaches will be ready for the 2026 season,” Savastano said, adding that the best option would be a “hydraulic beach replenishment.”
That is the type of thing the city has done every three years in the north end via a 50-year agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It involves having the vessel offshore sucking up sand and pumping it to the beaches, where construction vehicles spread it around.
Savastano said he is looking “at every opportunity,” including harvesting sand from the north end to put it in place where it’s needed and trucking in sand. He said the city has been in touch with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to find out what is permissible.
He said the city also is considering doing the hydraulic replenishment on its own and then seeking reimbursement, but didn’t consider that a viable option.
Savastano said he was confident the city would get that type of replenishment this year, but not necessarily in time for summer. However, whether sand harvesting or trucking in sand, “we will have our beaches ready.”
– By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff