New Jersey dune project on hold as town waits for easements
“Pat Suriani wants dunes built on the beach in front her home in Ortley Beach. The damage from Superstorm Sandy is an ever-present reminder of why they’re needed. As she stands at the end of a street leading to the water, she counts eight houses that need to be demolished.
“By the time they take down all the houses, only two will be standing,” Suriani said.
This past winter, Suriani and other members of the Surf Cottages Homeowners Association spent roughly $30,000 building their own temporary dunes. With the help of volunteers, members of the association piled sand on top of old Christmas trees, planted them with grass and lined the new dunes with protective fencing.
“That was the only way we could protect ourselves,” Suriani said.
“The better the dunes, the less the damage,” agreed Tom Kelaher, the mayor of Toms River, which includes Ortley Beach. “I don’t think anyone can deny that.””
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Samuelson, Tracey. News Work 19 August 2013.