Christie Committed To Clean Beaches, Waterways

It’s A Shore Thing: Protecting NJ’s Clean Beaches & Waterways

Christie Administration Committed To Keeping Our Beaches And Waterways Open And Clean

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New Jersey has maintained one of the nation’s best track records in terms of ocean water quality, a vital part of our tourism economy. At over 1,000 coastal access points along the shore, the beaches and waterways are healthy and accessible.

·         In the second summer after Sandy, our beaches have been open 99.9% of the time this season.

·         The Natural Resources Defense Council ranked New Jersey’s beaches 3rd in the nation in ocean water quality.

The Christie Administration has maintained a focus on modernizing and restoring our shore’s environmental infrastructure in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have worked in conjunction with local governments to place a total of about 44 million cubic yards of sand along New Jersey’s beaches to create an engineered, comprehensive shore protection system.

• USACE has completed all eight post-Sandy beach repair projects at an estimated cost of $345 million. These are the so-called Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies (FCCE) projects. These are previously engineered and constructed beaches that were damaged by Sandy and have been repaired and rebuilt to the original construction standards—not just to pre-Sandy conditions.

• In addition to repairs to previously constructed projects, DEP is working with USACE to build 11 new coastal and flood protection projects statewide, with a total cost of more than $1 billion.

A PROVEN RECORD OF PROTECTING NEW JERSEY’S BEACHES AND WATERWAYS

Since Taking Office, Governor Christie Has Made The Preservation of New Jersey’s Iconic Shore And Waterways A Top Priority:

• Restored beach replenishment funding to its full level – providing $25 million each year.

• Maintained funding to keep all parks, historic sites and wildlife operations running.

·         Signed legislation appropriating $1.2 billion for more than 200 projects statewide to help ensure safe drinking water and protect ground and surface water by financing much-needed improvements to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

o   Included is $355 million that will protect and provide resiliency to infrastructure directly impacted by Superstorm Sandy.

• Signed legislation appropriating over $2.7B in zero and low-cost loans for crucial water and sewer infrastructure projects across the state in the previous 4 years.

• Signed legislation appropriating $157 million for open space across New Jersey, including preservation projects in the Barnegat Bay watershed, on the Cape May peninsula and along urban waterfronts.

• Consistently opposed seismic testing off the coast of New Jersey that would have impacted our commercial and recreational fishing industries and marine life.

• Consistently opposed drilling off of the coast of New Jersey.

• Maintained unwavering opposition to liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities off of New Jersey's coastline, including the veto of a proposed deepwater operation 16 miles off the coast of Asbury Park, preventing construction and operation of 44 miles of submerged pipeline and an offshore port to receive foreign vessels transporting LNG to the U.S. for regasification.

·         Proposed a comprehensive ten-point initiative to restore and protect Barnegat Bay, which the Administration continues to implement aggressively, including negotiating the December 2010 agreement with Exelon to close Oyster Creek 10 years ahead of license expiration.

·         Enacted the most restrictive standards in the nation for nitrogen content in fertilizer and application rates for use, which will reduce nutrient pollution in Barnegat Bay and statewide.

·         Enacted law that will reduce post-construction soil compaction to reduce stormwater runoff and nonpoint source pollution in Barnegat Bay and all of New Jersey's waterways.

·         Clearly stated a policy of no new coal-fired power plants in New Jersey, which will reduce pollutants deposited to waterways as well as improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and memorialized that commitment in the State’s 2011 Energy Master Plan.

·         Created a Barnegat Bay Water Quality Monitoring Network to obtain scientific data on pollutants entering the Bay as part of 10-point plan to restore Barnegat Bay in addition to maintaining New Jersey's Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program nationally recognized by the EPA as one of the best in the nation.

·         Continued to advocate--both publicly and in the courts--a strong position against the dredging project to deepen the Delaware River.

·         Signed legislation creating free State saltwater fishing registry in New Jersey, allowing New Jersey anglers to avoid a $15 federal saltwater registration fee.