$4.99M NJ Grant Awarded To Brick For Salt Marsh Restoration Project

BRICK, NJ — Brick Township has been awarded a grant of nearly $5 million for a project to protect and rebuild the salt marsh in the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in the township.

The grant was announced Wednesday and was among $24.3 million in Natural Climate Solutions Grants to local governments and nonprofits "to create, restore, and enhance New Jersey’s green spaces and tree canopies in urban areas, salt marshes and forests," the state Department of Environmental Protection said.

The projects also aim to mitigate the effects of climate change, the DEP said.

“New Jersey will avoid the worst effects of our changing climate not only by reducing emissions of climate pollutants, but by investing in natural solutions that sequester carbon causing the extreme heat and flooding repeatedly striking our communities," said Shawn LaTourette, the DEP commissioner.

"With over $24 million of investments in urban and community forestry, marsh restoration, and living shorelines, we will beautify neighborhoods and build greater climate resilience in the process," he said.

Brick Township is to receive up to $4,997,124 for the salt marsh restoration.

"The project will place more than 120,000 cubic yards of suitable dredged sediment into a series of 13 cells to increase tidal salt marsh elevation, protecting the marsh from drowning," according to the DEP description of the project.

The project is anticipated to protect 95 acres of marsh, the description said.

"Added protective measures will be used to contain placed sediment and strengthen shorelines. The elevated marsh will be planted in areas that did not previously contain vegetation to ensure recolonization of vegetation occurs to ultimately restore the health of the marsh," it said.