Samantha Impaglia 
New Jersey beaches may be a place to take in the ocean views, sunbathe, and enjoy various activities, but our shores also play a crucial role when it comes coastal storm hazards. Each year, the state is given a funding budget to put towards projects that help keep these beaches from eroding, called beach replenishment. In 2025, New Jersey is facing budget cuts for its beach replenishment projects, with several put on hold for now. Read on for more about what’s going on with the beach replenishment funding at the Jersey Shore.
What is Beach Replenishment?
The beaches of the Garden State are both a fun place to visit and a key part in protecting our coastal shores from hurricanes and nor’easters. Beach replenishment is another equal part in that, which involves pumping sand in from the ocean to replace what is washed away by storms. Per the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), the beaches act as a buffer between the surf and the homes, businesses, and infrastructure along the East Coast, and also support the state’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry.
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With sea levels rising, beach replenishment is done yearly in various Jersey Shore towns to keep the coasts from eroding. Also referred to as beach nourishment, the projects include the placement of large quantities of sand on beaches to advance the shoreline seaward, increase its elevation, and construct dunes. The beaches and dunes act as a barrier against wind and waves that absorb the storm’s energy before it can reach inland.
What’s Going on With the Funding?
New Jersey beaches are not receiving the same amount of funding to facilitate beach replenishment projects for the first time in almost 30 years. As of now, the state has not received any federal dollars for beach replenishment for 2025, while Congress normally allocates between $100 to $200 million around the country each year.
To complete these projects, New Jersey relies on the federal government to fund the Army Corps of Engineers’ projects annually, with help from the local and state funds. As a result of the funding being cut, several beach replenishment projects are currently on hold, including in Avalon, Ocean City, and Stone Harbor, per CBS News Philadephia. In Avalon specifically, the last project completed was in 2023.
Both Garden State residents and officials alike have expressed concerns about the replenishment funding, emphasizing that these projects are crucial to both protecting the coastal communities at the Jersey Shore and driving tourism. Just last year, New Jersey received over 123 million visitors, and in 2023, over 120 million. Beaches play a big role in summer tourism numbers each year, making the replenishment projects all more essential.
Officials including U.S. Congressman Jeff Van Drew told CBS News Philadephia he is focused on ensuring beach funding is included in next year’s budget, and Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian said he’s concerned about the cuts. On the resident side, Avalon’s Business Manger Scott Wahl told WHYY that the federal funding covers the majority of the projects throughout the year, and can cost upwards of $25 million dollars.
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As of this writing, is it unclear what the next steps are for the state of New Jersey and its beach replenishment funding and projects. This post will be updated with any other information as it is announced.
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