Press Releases

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew announced that South Jersey will receive $99 million in federal funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to replenish and protect key beaches in the region. This is the biggest investment in New Jersey beach projects in a year without a severe coastal storm.

"I have been working closely with the Army Corps to make sure South Jersey is a priority, and today we are seeing that pay off in a massive way," said Congressman Van Drew. "This announcement delivers $99 million for beach replenishment across Ocean City, Strathmere, Sea Isle City, Avalon, and Stone Harbor. This is a huge investment for our shoreline, one of the largest we have ever seen, and it is going to make a real difference. Our beaches are so important to South Jersey, and this level of investment means stronger protection, more stability, and peace of mind for our shore communities. I want to thank Secretary Adam Telle for coming down to the shore and seeing these needs firsthand and helping make sure this got done.

"For months, I have been saying we needed to use disaster funding to get some of these projects done, and that is exactly what we did to unlock funding for places like Avalon and Stone Harbor. On top of this, we are also seeing additional investments in dredging across South Jersey, with more than $5 million going toward projects on the Salem River, Maurice River, Cold Spring Inlet, and the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, along with continued work to deepen the Salem and Maurice Rivers. We also secured the necessary support to complete the redesign of the Wildwoods project, which will allow us to use sand from Hereford Inlet to replenish North Wildwood.

"In the meantime, I am continuing to push for additional resources, including the $70 million in earmarks I have requested through the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations process for beach projects in Long Beach Island and Absecon Island, which includes Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate, and Longport. That includes funding to design erosion mitigation structures through my hotspot erosion law, so these communities are better protected moving forward. I have also requested funding to begin the process of extending the seawall in North Brigantine as part of our ongoing work to protect that area. In the long term, I am working on solutions like the Coastal Trust Fund Act to create a more reliable, permanent stream of funding for these kinds of projects. But today, this is a historic investment in South Jersey, and I am proud to have gotten it done."