AVALON –– The borough will restore beach access paths at 10th, 11th, and 15th streets this month with $1.5 million received through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

However, Borough Engineer Thomas Thornton said the recent May 12 storm has caused more need for restoration at access points including 18th, 19th and 20th streets. No access is possible from 12th to 14th streets because sand wouldn’t last there with the existing rock groins.

The borough has waited to replenish the beach until just before summer so it would hopefully last longer for the tourist season.

“This is as close as we can get to Memorial Day,” Thornton said. “The sand trucks will be leaving as people are coming to town.” Four days prior to the holiday access points will be restored using the “bare minimum,” but Thornton said the borough might need more sand in June.

“The 14th Street dune is 25 feet landward with the geotube structure exposed,” Thornton said. “It’s not just the recreational beach; now we are talking about the dune itself is threatened. We’re in a worse position than before, an imminent threat with another storm.”

Howard Marlowe, President of Marlowe and Company Government Affairs Consultants, a Washington lobbying firm, reported to council “bad regulations” are preventing the borough from receiving beach replenishment.

Mayor Martin Pagliughi, who is not required to attend Borough Council meetings because of the Council-Mayor form of government, attended the May 14 meeting to hear Marlowe’s comments.

The meeting was held at Community Hall because ventilation work is being done on Borough Hall with the construction of the new Public Safety Complex.

“There’s definitely something wrong with the design of the project,” Pagliughi said, referring to the 50-year agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to replenish the beach every three years. He suggested the borough find technical proposals from coastal consulting companies.

“Anything less than full funding of what was committed to is unacceptable,” Marlowe said.

A problem is the Army Corps of Engineers is unable to submit to Congress what it thinks is a priority, therefore, Marlowe said a color-coded map displaying area hot-spots in need of beach nourishment will be given to the appropriation committee showing Avalon’s comparable need.

“In South Jersey, Avalon led the way with beach nourishment. I’ve seen a lot of the East Coast, and Avalon took the reigns and got the federal government involved,” Marlowe said.

Marlowe said in the current fiscal year, the federal government has allocated $22 million for beach projects in New Jersey, but the true state need is $80 million.

In the next fiscal year, the true need in the state is $110 million, Marlowe added. Congress may only appropriate $100 million for the entire nation, whereas the nationwide need for beaches this year is estimated at $285 million.

“There is no emphasis on the federal level on infrastructure improvements,” Marlowe said.

“Avalon is not a community that is denying public access to its beaches. It’s (the DEP’s State Aid Agreement) bad regulations not based on the realities you are experiencing.”

Council agreed images of exposed dune geotube structures from the damage caused by the recent storm would serve as an example of the borough’s dire need for beach replenishment.

Councilwoman Nancy Hudanich defined the Department of Environmental Protection’s State Aid Agreement as a “bureaucratic piece of paper holding us back.”

“They need to see what they are drawing lines in the sand over,” she said.

Marlowe said the presidential election will interfere with the beach erosion appropriation process and President George W. Bush will threaten to veto the bill if it exceeds a certain amount. He said the borough’s appropriation bill received 69 votes in Congress and the borough will most likely get beach replenishment after the Presidential inauguration in mid-February or March 2009.

“Unfortunately, I don’t see funds coming from Washington soon,” he added.

Marlowe said it’s possible the President could declare an emergency through the Federal Emergency Management Agency if it’s not above the declaration threshold amount.

Marlowe said a Federal Highway interchange costs $6 billion. He explained his reasoning is “$300 million out of $6 billion is not a noticeable major investment.” Therefore, he said the borough should make it known that visitors come from far and wide.

Contact Truluck at (609) 886-8600 Ext 24 or at: ltruluck @cmcherald.com.