Congressman touts money for Coast Guard, beaches, waterways
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — “South Jersey, we’ve been forgotten about too long; we need to do better and we’re just beginning,” U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew said last week, promising to provide funds for a myriad of projects.
Speaking to a packed room of Cape May County Chamber of Commerce members Aug. 20 in Cape May Court House, Van Drew, R-2nd, said southern New Jersey is receiving more federal investment than at any other time in history.
The congressman provided updates on the Coast Guard, beach protection funding and waterway access improvements during his annual legislative update.
Van Drew covered various local infrastructure improvements, dispelling rumors about the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center relocating.
“We’ve got to keep punching, keep working at it and fighting for New Jersey,” he said.
Training Center Cape May is the Coast Guard’s only accession point for enlisted personnel. The Coast Guard announced in May that $400 million would be used to demolish obsolete infrastructure at the base.
Van Drew said he would fight to keep the base where it is.
“We have now sequestered about half a billion dollars for the United States Coast Guard,” Van Drew said. “We’re going to build new barracks and a new training center. For too long the Coast Guard has been ignored and we’re changing that.”
He noted the rumors about the Coast Guard leaving the area, adding that he advocated for the facility to stay because it is an integral part of the community and economy.
“This is going to be a world-class facility, [with] about $200 million for design and for construction contracts,” he said. “There are no start dates yet, but it will be a big deal for Cape May County and Cape May City.”
Beach funding
According to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), “beach replenishment (or beach nourishment) is the placement of large quantities of sand on an eroding beach to advance the shoreline seaward and increase its elevation as well as to construct dunes.”
The need for reliable, long-term funding for coastal protection has been an ongoing battle for coastal areas.
“Beach funding comes from disaster funding, emergency funding [and] from federal appropriations,” Van Drew said. “It has never been just one source, and you have to have the foresight to cobble all that together to make sure you get a good amount of demand and we’re going to continue to do that.”
Van Drew and U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY) introduced a bipartisan Coastal Trust Fund Act in February to create a funding source for coastal projects nationwide.
“The Coastal Trust Fund Act money would be used not only for beaches, but seawalls, flooding, jetties and marsh restorations,” he added.
Congress funds a significant share of beach replenishment, allocating funds to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for restoration projects.
Van Drew said his office works hand in hand with the Army Corps and is “on the horn” with the agency almost every day.
In April, Van Drew announced that southern New Jersey would receive $99 million in federal funding from the Army Corps to replenish and protect key beaches in the region, including Ocean City, Strathmere, Sea Isle City, Avalon and Stone Harbor.
The support was also necessary to complete the redesign of the Wildwoods project, using sand from Hereford Inlet to replenish North Wildwood.
“It was the largest appropriation for [beach replenishment] other than the [Hurricane] Sandy [funding],” he added, noting that he continues to work on acquiring funding.
Van Drew added that there are $30 million in funds earmarked for Atlantic City, Longport, Ventnor and Margate on Absecon Island. He also noted that there is another $86 million in funding not yet allocated.
“On top of that, there’s another $100 million in emergency funds,” he said.
Dredging, erosion mitigation
In addition to beach replenishment, the congressman discussed the expansion and investment in dredging in the Intracoastal Waterway, noting he would continue to push for additional resources and recurring funds for beach projects in Atlantic, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
The funds also include dredging and erosion mitigation across southern New Jersey, including Absecon Inlet, Cold Spring Inlet, Maurice River and Atlantic City.
Additionally, Van Drew said he is working on dredging materials deep in the river to shore up the area around East Point Lighthouse.
“It’s been a rocky road; it’s a state thing, but I’m up to my eyeballs trying,” he said. “East Point Lighthouse is being encroached on by water. Maybe next year I’ll tell you what happened with that.”
Cape May infrastructure projects
Van Drew provided an update on the Cape May Seawall Flood Mitigation Project, which was authorized to move forward in February after $24.3 million was secured to protect the vulnerable area.
The project proposes extending the Promenade just east of Madison Avenue to Wilmington Avenue, then down Wilmington Avenue. The plan was developed in collaboration with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps and intended to significantly reduce the risk of property loss and loss of life.
The seawall project, which was delayed under the Trump administration, had to be authorized by the Secretary of Homeland Security. The approval came on the heels of a delegation of officials from Cape May County visiting Washington, D.C., in January to urge the release of the funding.
Van Drew also discussed Cape May’s plans for a new desalination plant. The city has been moving forward to replace the plant, a project with a price tag in the range of $36 million to $40 million. The plant was built to address saltwater intrusion into the city’s aquifers.
Van Drew said he helped secure $500,000 in funding for the construction of the plant.
Other projects
Van Drew helped provide funding for the Atlantic Cape Community College capital fund. A former practicing dentist, he helped secure $3 million in federal appropriations to support the creation of a dental hygiene school, expanding access to health care education and career opportunities.
In the aviation sector, the Federal Aviation Administration’s William J. Hughes Technical Center received a $43 million appropriation for sustainment and infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to electrical systems and resiliency projects. Under Van Drew, the tech center is locked in as a permanent structure.
The congressman said he continues to push for safety improvements, which include securing $61 million in funding for the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard, and has done so because it protects the New York-Washington, D.C. corridor.
The 177th Fighter Wing is stationed at the Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Township. Van Drew added that he is pushing for the hangar to host F-35 aircraft.
“These men and women deserve it,” he said, adding that the funding would include the construction of hangars, a new dining area, a fitness area and much more.
Regarding the FAA, Van Drew said he toured air traffic facilities and found the agency was using floppy disks for its operations.
“Where the hell do you buy a floppy disk?” Van Drew asked. “This is America, the most powerful nation on the face of the Earth, and our airports are using corroded copper wire.”
– By RACHEL SHUBIN/For the Sentinel
