Beach Erosion 'Emergency' Declared In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — City Council voted unanimously to declare a state of emergency in Ocean City regarding recent and ongoing beach erosion.

"Ocean City is currently experiencing critical and accelerating beach erosion, including significant dune loss, destruction of protective berms, and threats to both public and private property, placing the City in an emergency state of vulnerability ahead of the winter storm season," the resolution reads. It specifically cites the beach area between 1st and 13th Streets.

Prior to the vote, Mayor Jay Gillian explained that he had just met with Rep. Jeff Van Drew to discuss solutions for beach erosion. No federal dollars have been allocated for beach replenishment in the coming year.

"We have a couple other ideas that we're working on, so I'll be bringing that to council shortly," Gillian said.

Recent storms including Hurricane Erin in August and the latest nor'easter caused a lot of damage in Ocean City. A New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection initial report said there was heavy erosion and dune scarping, or steep cliff-like cuts, of more than 5 feet in height. Read more: Nor'easter Caused 'Major' Erosion To Jersey Shore Beaches, Initial Report Says

An upcoming storm next week is expected to further exacerbate this damage.

"Ocean City lacks the financial resources to independently implement largescale beach replenishment, dune restoration, or long-term protective measures, and requires urgent and immediate assistance and funding from both the State and Federal governments to prevent further damage and danger to its residents and infrastructure," the resolution reads.