Jetty Country will be a parking lot - Want to stop it? Get involved!

[buckethead]

Jetty Country is going to be smoothed over like a parking lot in the next few months. Here is your chance to do something to protest it. The ACOE press release has 2 e-mail addresses in the middle paragraphs. State your name, that you fish the area, and why you think it will be ineffective. The clock is ticking folks. I sent my e-mail today. Let's do this before it is too late. We have until March 26.

NEWS RELEASE
BUILDING STRONG
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS NEW YORK DISTRICT
26 FEDERAL PLAZA NEW YORK, NY 10278
WWW.NAN.USACE.ARMY.MIL
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS NEW YORK DISTRICT
26 FEDERAL PLAZA NEW YORK, NY 10278
WWW.NAN.USACE.ARMY.MIL

Contact:
Chris Gardner, 917-790-8007
Christopher.P.Gardner@usace.army.mil
For Immediate Release:
February 24, 2014

Army Corps announces availability of Draft Environmental Assessment for proposed Elberon to Loch Arbour reach of the Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet Beach Erosion Control Project
Public comment period open until March 26, 2014

NEW YORK The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) and Draft Statement of Conformity (DSOC) for the Elberon to Loch Arbour reach of the Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet Beach Erosion Control Project, Section I Sea Bright to Ocean Township and the opening of the window for the public to submit written comments regarding those documents.

With the passage of the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, the Army Corps has been given the authority and funding to complete ongoing coastal storm damage risk management projects and studies in the Northeast, including the Elberon to Loch Arbour project, which was previously authorized as part of the larger Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet project but was not constructed. As part of the planning and implementation process for the authorized Elberon to Loch Arbour project, the New York District has updated prior engineering and design efforts, physical surveys, and environmental compliance in putting together the recently completed Draft Hurricane Sandy Limited Re-evaluation Report (HSLRR).

The DEA and DSOC, as well as the Draft HSLRR for the Elberon to Loch Arbour project and associated documents, are available on New York District's web site at www.nan.usace.army.mil.

Public comments on DEA and DSOC regarding this proposed work should be submitted to:
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District Planning Division-Environmental Branch (ATTN: Mr. Howard Ruben) 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York 10278-0090

Public comments can also be submitted by e-mail to
Project Biologist
Howard.Ruben@usace.army.mil

and
Project Manager
Jenifer.E.Thalhauser@usace.army.mil

Further instructions for submitting comments can be found in the Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment document on the District's site. Comments received by March 26th regarding the DEA will assist in the agency's evaluation of the project changes and will be reflected in the project record.
The Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet project is a partnership between the Army Corps and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

The proposed Elberon to Loch Arbour project calls for the placement of roughly 4.5 million cubic yards of sand to create a 100-foot-wide beach berm 12 feet above mean low water. The project also calls for the modification of six groins to allow for the movement of sediment and modifications to 16 outfalls to ensure their continued operation after the beach berm is created and to prevent their operation from negatively impacting the newly constructed beach berm.

Pending the Environmental Assessment, required reviews of the Elberon to Loch Arbour Reach Draft Hurricane Sandy Limited Re-evaluation Report and the signing of a Project Partnership Agreement with the DEP, the Corps expects to award the construction contract for the Elberon to Loch Arbour project in summer or fall of 2014.

[hookset]

I don't believe the fishermen are going to sit there like sheep and let this happen. This sucks big time. It is the nail in the coffin for beach fishing in NNJ. I already sent my e-mails to Ruben and Thanhauser
.
Public comments can also be submitted by e-mail to
Project Biologist
Howard.Ruben@usace.army.mil

and
Project Manager
Jenifer.E.Thalhauser@usace.army.mil



Come on gents you can do this too. Thanks for making it easy buckethead.
Here is a PDF showing the proposals.
http://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Portal...lan_Layout.pdf

[finchaser]

The fisherman will do nothing as usual especially if fish arrive. they will assume others are doing for them. I have been to hundreds of meetings through the years and no one except the same small group shows. I posted this was in the works last year and now that there are a few weeks left it will be another to little to late.

They have been replenishing areas since November. First shot has been done in Monmouth Beach ,Sea Bright, Manasquan and now sea girt. This is I believe a 10 year project to bury from the Hook to Manasquan Inlet. Part of the Army Corp of morons job security program. Heard this is a done deal got to protect the rich political campaign contributors.

[jigfreak]

This is what the Asbury jetty looks like now. Pretty soon all the jetties will be buried or notched most likely buried. This is the worst I have ever seen it.

[jigfreak]

Jetty Country is going to be smoothed over like a parking lot in the next few months. Here is your chance to do something to protest it. The ACOE press release has 2 e-mail addresses in the middle paragraphs. State your name, that you fish the area, and why you think it will be ineffective. The clock is ticking folks. I sent my e-mail today. Let's do this before it is too late. We have until March 26.

Public comments can also be submitted by e-mail to
Project Biologist
Howard.Ruben@usace.army.mil

and
Project Manager
Jenifer.E.Thalhauser@usace.army.mil

Further instructions for submitting comments can be found in the Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment document on the District's site. Comments received by March 26th regarding the DEA will assist in the agency's evaluation of the project changes and will be reflected in the project record.
The Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet project is a partnership between the Army Corps and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

The proposed Elberon to Loch Arbour project calls for the placement of roughly 4.5 million cubic yards of sand to create a 100-foot-wide beach berm 12 feet above mean low water. The project also calls for the modification of six groins to allow for the movement of sediment and modifications to 16 outfalls to ensure their continued operation after the beach berm is created and to prevent their operation from negatively impacting the newly constructed beach berm.

Pending the Environmental Assessment, required reviews of the Elberon to Loch Arbour Reach Draft Hurricane Sandy Limited Re-evaluation Report and the signing of a Project Partnership Agreement with the DEP, the Corps expects to award the construction contract for the Elberon to Loch Arbour project in summer or fall of 2014.

The fisherman will do nothing as usual especially if fish arrive. they will assume others are doing for them. I have been to hundreds of meetings through the years and no one except the same small group shows. I posted this was in the works last year and now that there are a few weeks left it will be another to little to late.

.

Thanks bucket for the heads up. finchaser I remember your thread about losing the beach access in ocean county. I sent in e-mails to those reps. What are you saying here that you are giving up? dark talks all the time about you and the old timers. Don't you have a network of guys you can send this to and ask them to do something? In the other thread about 8th ave it talks about the power of one. From what I read there Joe Pallotto got the flume restoration started almost single handedly and then others finally jumped in.
Sick of seeing fishermen stand around and just talk. On another site there are 3 pages of negativity and impotence and only one guy is really trying to get them to do something. Will we be the same whiners or will we try to do something.
I sent my e-mail in this morning. finchaser can you rally the old timers? We also need the clubs to get involved. Where are the clubs when something like this happens. Haven't seen any input from them yet.

[hookset]

Guys thank you for the outrage. Please send e-mails and let's try to keep this at the top.

[Blazin420]

Email sent this am!!!

[fishinmission78]

email done to both addresses. thanks

[finchaser]

Jigfreak

I never give up just saying don't get your hopes up as most fisherman rely on the other guy who in most cases is non existent. We write and go to there so called public hearings. I already sent your info to 2 clubs( 250 guys) yesterday even before I posted above. We never give up it's always the older guys at meetings the new generation never gets involved they just whine like little girls when things are taken away. They don't understand once you loose it you don't get it back. Were also speaking out about the tip of hook being taken over by Home land security.

[DarkSkies]

Thank you all for getting the ball rolliing people. I thought I would make things easier for people and set up a template letter. These are most of the issues as I understand them. Please bear in mind I whipped this up quickly and may have left some things out.

** The best thing would be to draft the e-mail in your own words, maybe copying some of my sentences or paragraphs as you write it.
If you don't have the time to write your own, feel free to C&P mine.

As some of the others said, we really need to get these e-mails out.
Deadline is March 26!!!!
My thoughts in drafting this were to make it as quick and painless as possible for anyone who fishes the salt. We need real support on this issue, and the comment window is closing rapidly.

Short and simple...All you have to do is C&P what I wrote below, and send it to the e-mail addresses in blue.
Thanks for your support!











*******************
Public comments can also be submitted by e-mail to
1. Project Biologist
Howard.Ruben@usace.army.mil

and
2. Project Manager
Jenifer.E.Thalhauser@usace.army.mil

3. 'Davis, Kelly' (Kelly.Davis@dep.state.nj.us), NJFW’s Environmental Review Biologist

A friend of mine posted this....
[We should also be contacting Frank Pallone and Paul Haertel of JCAA. They have not done much at all for us or striped bass. We should be giving them a full court press asking them why. Tell Pallone you will vote against him if this project goes through. Try not to be nasty, but state your strong disapproval and why. He needs to see this is important to us.

those contacts and e-mails.
4.https://pallone.house.gov/contact-me


full details
http://pallone.house.gov/
Pallone tips - you can only e-mail him by filling out the form. He cleverly refuses to answer e-mail if you are not a constituent. I have found a way around that. Use the following address and zip code if you do not live in the district:]
100 OCEAN AVE N
LONG BRANCH NJ 07740-7128


5. Paul Haertel anglerpmh@aol.com.

http://www.jcaa.org/
JCAA
1201 Rt 37 E Suite 9
Toms River, NJ 08753
732-506-6565












Dear _________________________-

My name is __________________________
I live in/fish in New Jersey

I am familiar with the ACOE beach replenishment projects, and see that at times they have benefits.

The Elberon to Loch Arbor replenishment, as stated below, is what I am contacting you about:
"The proposed Elberon to Loch Arbour project calls for the placement of roughly 4.5 million cubic yards of sand to create a 100-foot-wide beach berm 12 feet above mean low water. The project also calls for the modification of six groins to allow for the movement of sediment and modifications to 16 outfalls to ensure their continued operation after the beach berm is created and to prevent their operation from negatively impacting the newly constructed beach berm."

I am completely against this project for the following, sound, sensible reasons:

1. Natural elevation - The area in question, as is most of Long Branch, is naturally elevated to a higher amount than the rest of the shore areas that sustained damage during the Sandy storm in the fall of 2012.

2. Less Damage - As such, that area did not sustain anything near the damage of the other areas. The elevation is higher above sea level thananyoceanside beaches in that whole county.

3. Replenishment not Effective long-term - It is my strong belief that filling in those specific areas is not necessary and will do little to protect against another storm like Sandy. Engineering studies can certainly prove that.

4. Fishing Community Affected - I am a fisherman and fish those areas regularly. The replenishment project, as proposed, will ruin fishing for those of us who fish the beaches there.

5. Economic Impact - As fishermen, we bring hundreds of thousands of dollars into those communities every time we fish there. We stop in the local shops, buy breakfast, supplies, gas, bait, tackle, dinner, and sometimes stay in the area hotels. There are many small businesses that would lose a % of revenue if we stopped fishing there because it was no longer worth coming to.

6. Environmental Impact -
Part of the project language talks about the environmental assessment. I believe this was not given the weight it deserves. Those jetty areas are small vibrant ecosystems unto themselves. There are crabs, mussels, small forage fish, grass shrimp, baby fish, blackfish, seabass, flounder, fluke, striped bass, bluefish, clams, sea horses, and small invertebrate creatures that make a robust link all the way down to the bottom of the food chain.
The creatures that benefit from these jetty areas are many, from the various juvenile species of gamefish that hide there, to the magnificent gamefish that come to feed on the forage, to the thousands of migratory shorebirds that congregate around the jetties to feed on the various types of food.

Covering this over in sand would not only kill all the life on the floor there, that has existed for centuries. It would also turn the areas into a complete dead zone, devoid of life and completely wiping out the vast robust ecosystems that thrive there.


In sum, this replenishment, while it may be your intention for other areas, is not needed in the area in question, will negatively affect the fragile marine environment there, and most certainly cause a negative economic impact to the areas in and around, when fishermen and their families stop coming there.

Please re-consider your support for this specific replenishment.
It has been proven that once this is done, as opposed to the construction of sea walls, that the sand is eventually washed away. The old jetties will come back.
However, it will be years, perhaps a decade, for life to return as it once was, once they are covered over.

Thank you for reading my comments,
Respectfully,

__________________________

[DarkSkies]

I never give up just saying don't get your hopes up as most fisherman rely on the other guy who in most cases is non existent. We write and go to there so called public hearings. I already sent your info to 2 clubs( 250 guys) yesterday even before I posted above. We never give up it's always the older guys at meetings the new generation never gets involved they just whine like little girls when things are taken away. They don't understand once you loose it you don't get it back. Were also speaking out about the tip of hook being taken over by Home land security.

If we had 500 guys like finchaser, we could never lose. Thanks for sharing your point, and for all you have done for fishermen in the past.
What happened to righteous anger, to the spirit of Democracy and the power of public opinion?

It went down the Toilet of Apathetic thinking....

[robmedina]

I sent mine in.

[crosseyedbass]

I dont live in jersey but always glad to pitch in. Sent it thanks for making it easy

[seamonkey]

Sent keep us posted on what happens fellas

[surferman]

done thanks

[surfstix1963]

They haven't quite figured out a few storms will pull most of that sand right out of there(job security)the other thing they haven't figured out is you can't fight mother nature.You can't fix stupid......

[bababooey]

They have been replenishing areas since November. First shot has been done in Monmouth Beach ,Sea Bright, Manasquan and now sea girt. This is I believe a 10 year project to bury from the Hook to Manasquan Inlet. Part of the Army Corp of morons job security program. Heard this is a done deal got to protect the rich political campaign contributors.

I agree with finchaser. You know what they say you can't fight city hall. We are powerless to do anything against the ACOE.

[jigfreak]

^^^^^^Oh wow thats peachy. Would you just give up like that. Well if the burglar is coming in your house and he decides to smash your head with the gun and rape your wife do you say you are powerless to do anything about it because he already got in your house or do you try to fight back?
e-mail sent.

[hookedonbass]

Dude thats a little extreme don't you think? The way I read it he was saying with all the politicians finchaser was talking about it seemed like a done deal. You know how it is they all do favors for each other. There are probably big bucks in those contracts. Think about it. Suck sand from ocean. Dump on beach. Repeat every 2 years. Back up the brinks truck wish I had that contract I would buy South America. The voters and fishermen come last,

[CharlieTuna]

I'll pitch in. Email sent.