Van Drew Seeks Federal Beach Funds After Meeting With Jersey Shore Mayors

JERSEY SHORE — Rep. Jeff Van Drew, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection met with mayors from Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean counties Tuesday to discuss the future of beach funding and sustainability.

"Yesterday, we had a very important meeting focused on keeping our beaches strong and secure," Van Drew said in a release Wednesday. "In the long term, I will be introducing legislation to make sure there is permanent and reliable funding for beach projects all across the country. This will give our towns the stability they deserve and help keep costs down. I will also be meeting with the dredging industry to push for lower costs for projects, and we are moving forward with my Hot Spot Erosion Mitigation Law, which is already being piloted in Atlantic City to keep sand on the beaches while saving money for our communities."

The meeting followed Hurricane Erin's destruction last week, with many beaches along the shore facing significant erosion in the storm's wake. Read more: Jersey Shore Beaches Decimated By Hurricane Erin

Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera, who said his local beaches had much of their recent replenishment washed away, was present at Tuesday's meeting.

"Beach erosion is not just a Brigantine issue. It's a challenge up and down the Jersey Shore," Sera said. "By working together with our Congressman, the Army Corps, the DEP, and our neighboring towns, we can move toward smarter, long-term solutions that protect our residents, our homes, and our way of life."

No federal dollars were allocated for beach projects in 2025. But Van Drew pushed back on this.

"Some people have been told that federal dollars for beach replenishment were taken back or cancelled, and that is simply not true," Van Drew said. "We have delivered record levels of funding for our shore, and I expect that success to continue. My promise is the same as it has always been—I will always fight to protect our beaches, our towns, and our families here at the Jersey Shore."

"Thank you to Congressman Van Drew for getting everyone together, with every town represented from Ocean County all the way down to Cape May," said Cape May County Commissioner Director and Mayor of Sea Isle, Lenny Desiderio. "Together, we are all committed to working as one shore community to protect our coast, making sure that no town is left behind."