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Union Beach Flood Project OK’d

Pallone, NJ DEP and Army Corps of Engineers Announce Final Approval of Flood Control Project in Union Beach

Press Release 1/5/18

LONG BRANCH – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced that Union Beach will move forward with a $289 million flood control project. A Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) for the project was signed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and USACE this week. The signing of the PPA allows USACE to move forward on the actual construction phase of the project. The flood control project occupies an area of approximately 1.8 square miles of land along the coast of Raritan Bay, where low-lying residential and commercial structures in the area experience flooding caused by coastal storms. The area was devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

During the 114th Congress, Congressman Pallone was successful in passing legislation that allowed the project to move forward. That law was signed by President Obama on December 16, 2016.

This project was initially authorized for construction in the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 on November 8, 2007. Subsequent funding and authorization was provided in the 2013 Sandy relief package. Pallone was a leader in supporting both the project’s initial authorization and the Sandy relief bill through Congress.

With the signing of the PPA the USACE expects to award the first construction contract in June 2018.

“This project will help protect Union Beach families who suffered from devastating flooding during Superstorm Sandy,” said Pallone. “I appreciate the work of Union Beach, NJDEP, and the Army Corps of Engineers in making this flood control project possible. I will continue to do everything within my power to ensure that it is completed in a timely and effective manner.”

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is thrilled to be executing this agreement with our partners at the state of New Jersey, which is a critical step in constructing this coastal storm risk management project,” said Col. Thomas Asbery, commander, New York District. “Hurricane Sandy had an extremely adverse impact on the residents of Union Beach and we look forward to beginning construction to provide additional coastal storm risk reduction measures for the residents of this community.”

“Since Sandy’s landfall, the Christie Administration’s shore protection efforts up and down the coast and along our bayshores have resulted in a stronger, more resilient Jersey Shore and better protection of life and property,” said NJ DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. “We join with all in Union Beach and along the coast in marking the beginning of this important project. “

“We are excited about the Army Corps and the DEP, signing the PPA ,and thank all who helped,” said Union Beach Mayor Paul J. Smith Jr. “A special Thank-You to Congressman Pallone and his staff. We are looking forward to Phase 1 of our Shore Protection Project.”

The $289 million project includes a beach berm and dune system with revetments and two terminal groins along the Raritan Bayshore, with a system of levees and floodwalls provided along Chingarora and East Creeks and crossing Flat Creek. The overall length of the authorized project is 20,915 feet, and is comprised of 3,160 feet of dune, 10,870 feet of levee and 6,885 feet of floodwall. Also included are road closure gates, two road raisings, three pump stations, two sector gates, and six tide gate structures. The project also includes beach nourishment at nine year increments.

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