Jersey Shore Dune Project Clears Hurdle

Federal and state officials can now bring their long awaited dune project to Point Pleasant Beach's beachfront, according to reports.

On Friday, a judge allowed the state Department of Environmental Protection to take an easement on Bradshaw’s Beach so the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can now bring a dune project to the town’s beachfront, according to The Ocean Star.

It's part of former Gov. Chris Christie's plan to build or widen dunes along most of the state's 127-mile coastline, according to nj.com. Last June, the DEP announced the start of construction on a 14-mile dune system in northern Ocean County, according to The Ocean Star.

Property owners along the Jersey Shore have tried to block the protective sand dune project on their land, according to nj.com.

They've complained about of lost views of the ocean; argued that existing dunes or rock walls they built and maintained on their own offer better protection against storms; and they've also worried about mosquito-born Zika virus outbreaks in pools of stagnant water behind the sand piles.

Patricia Miller photo