Hurricane Joaquin is serving as some great ammo for Gov. Chris Christie, who took time out of his storm prep press conference to attack homeowners along the Jersey Shore who have refused to let the state build dunes on their property.

Beach dunes (Christopher Furlong, Getty Images)
Beach dunes (Christopher Furlong, Getty Images)
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Christie has been on a mission to line New Jersey’s entire coast with a dune system since Superstorm Sandy walloped the state in October 2012. Most oceanfront homeowners have signed easements, but others have been holding out.

“I hope people understand now why I’ve been as assertive and, at times, as angry as I’ve been at some of the selfish opposition,” Christie said Thursday. “I wonder if the folks in Bay Head and Point Pleasant think it was a smart move to be fighting the dunes.”

Calls to supposed holdouts went unanswered.

The governor noted some gaps in the protective dunes are the product of red tape, but others have been caused by eminent domain fights in court “with people who are more concerned about their view” than the safety of themselves and their neighbors.

“The fact that we don’t have all this done by now is … in large measure because we’ve had to have these legal fights along the way,” Christie said.

In anticipation of the upcoming storm, the state’s been working to add sand to parts of the shore that are considered particularly vulnerable.

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