Trump officials haven’t pledged funds as Jersey Shore erosion worsens

Weeks have passed since several Jersey Shore towns alerted state officials to their eroded beaches, declaring states of emergency after heavy sand loss caused by three storms.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection says it’s ready to fund scheduled beach renourishment projects in 2026 but warns that emergency work isn’t possible without federal dollars, and those funds aren’t yet secured.

With costs topping $73 million for recent projects, the state is offering technical support for any self-funded interim fixes while lobbying Congress for long-term support.

Ocean City and Upper Township said their beaches suffered the most damage from Hurricane Erin in August, followed by two October storms — a nor’easter and a strong coastal storm.

The weather created storm surges that swamped much of their coastline.

Both Ocean City and Upper Township were expected to have their beaches replenished through a federally backed fill in 2026.

However, financial assurances from President Donald Trump’s administration have yet to be made, according to a letter from the DEP.

New Jersey performs beach restoration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which, as of July, had not been given allocations for nourishment next year.

This year, at least three projects, including one that would have restored some of Ocean City’s beaches, were not funded.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a long history of working closely with the state of New Jersey on coastal projects that reduce the risk of storm damage to infrastructure,” the agency’s Philadelphia District said in an email to NJ Advance Media.

“We cannot speculate on what might be included in fiscal year 2026 appropriations for coastal projects,” the statement said.

Beaches in Ocean City and Strathmere, Upper Township’s waterfront community, are due for replenishment in 2026, likely ahead of the busiest months for summer travel, DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said in a letter to both towns.

Through both projects, beaches in all of Ocean City, Strathmere and Sea Isle City would be resupplied with ample amounts of sand, LaTourette said.

However, funding for those projects has not been confirmed by Trump officials, he said. New Jersey cannot support an interim beach fill project alone, he added.

“In short, given the scale and cost of shore protection needs throughout New Jersey, our shore protection program is heavily reliant upon consistent federal funding and partnership and does not enable DEP interim beach nourishment outside the established cost-share paradigm and periodic nourishment cycles,” LaTourette said.

Under Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration, New Jersey annually allocates $50 million toward its Shore Protection Fund.

That money is used to match funding provided by the Army Corps. Typically, the federal government bears 65% of a project’s cost, while New Jersey matches 35% using the fund.

Last month’s nor’easter eroded more sand at Strathmere’s beachfront. The heaviest losses are in the community’s first three blocks, which have become the site of steep sand cliffs.

Weeks later, Strathmere’s beaches lost more sand, but its dunes were spared from more damage, township officials previously said.

The township does not have enough sand for backpassing — a process in which sand is taken from fuller beaches to replenish depleted ones, Mayor Curtis Corson said.

Township officials are turning to lobbyists in Washington to prod the federal government for help, he said.

“We’re very vulnerable right now,” Corson said in a phone call with NJ Advance Media on Friday. “On the positive note, the state has the funding to help.”

Across the Corson’s Inlet Bridge, Ocean City declared a state of emergency after significant sand loss between 1st and 13th streets.

Mayor Jay Gillian said the declaration is a “tool” for officials to demand that higher governments help. Ocean City recently backpassed sand to the neediest areas of the beach, officials said.

Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a Trump ally in Congress, has appealed to the president’s administration for “emergency” funding to repair beaches in his district, including Ocean City and Strathmere.

“The congressman has spoken with the Army Corps of Engineers and they are very receptive to emergency funding for these communities and others,” a spokesperson for Van Drew’s office said in an email to NJ Advance Media.

“The NJDEP had asked us to engage the Army Corps in this discussion, which is exactly what we have done,” the statement said. “Of course, this has to go through a process, in which we are in the middle of, and we expect good results.”