Pallone Announces $3 Million Port Monmouth Beach Replenishment Budget Allocation

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) announced Monday that President Obama’s budget allocates three million dollars for beach replenishment efforts in Port Monmouth.

“This funding allocation is only the first step in a long process to complete the Port Monmouth flood control project, but if the Army Corps of Engineers does receive the president’s full allocation, construction could begin. Flood protection and beach replenishment are vital to the long term economic health of the sixth district and provide the first – and sometimes only - line of defense against flooding and coastal storms.”

Pallone has worked with the Obama administration since the president took office to stress the importance of Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, particularly the benefit of beach replenishment to local communities. OMB took several of Pallone's recommendations into account which led to more common sense factors being considered when allocating funding for these projects. This policy change enables the Port Monmouth project to move closer to receiving necessary funding.

“In the past, flood control and beach replenishment projects were primarily funded with earmarks placed in the appropriations bill by members of Congress. That’s no longer an option, and if the dollars are not in the president’s budget, we simply will not receive them,” Pallone explained. “It was necessary to change OMB policy with regard to the cost/benefit analysis to include Port Monmouth.”

Pallone has worked hard for the last few years to get earmark appropriations for Port Monmouth, which have been banked by the Army Corps, until it reaches a total of between five and six million dollars necessary to begin the beach replenishment. $3.4 million has been banked prior to this year’s budget, which when added to the $3 million dollars - for a total of $6.4 million - which would allow construction to begin.