It's unlikely the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will modify their federal sand dune project to meet the individual storm protection needs of beach communities along the Jersey Coast.
A proposed dune project at the New Jersey shore could cut off access to the beach for 22 property owners -- including the brother of Gov. Chris Christie -- a lawyer for homeowners fighting the project said.
New Jersey is currently in court with beachfront property owners who aren't on board with the state's plan for a protective dune system along the entire coastline, but that's not stopping officials from moving ahead with their plan.
The construction of a 1.3-mile dune along the shoreline in Belmar did exactly what it was supposed to do during this past weekend's historic winter storm: it protected the streets and homes from devastating flood waters.
Seventeen oceanfront homeowners are challenging New Jersey's right to use eminent domain to seize strips of their sand for a protective dune project, calling it a land grab.
Seawalls are being proposed as a more durable alternative to sand dunes for future storm protection along the Jersey Coast by a specialist working on a project with Seaside Heights.