Van Drew urges robust Army Corps funding for New Jersey beach replenishment and coastal protection

Congressman Jefferson Van Drew (R‑N.J.) told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water that coastal communities in southern New Jersey need “strong levels of funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers” to protect infrastructure and support beach replenishment programs.

Van Drew outlined specific community project requests for FY27, including a roughly $30–35 million construction package to nourish beaches from Brigantine Inlet to Great Egg Harbor, a $5 million request to continue jetty design work in Atlantic City, and a $35 million construction request for projects at Barnegat Inlet and Long Beach Island. He also said he submitted an earmark to advance a Section 103 study to extend a seawall on northern Brigantine Island and identified the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as the nonfederal sponsor for projects in his district.

The congressman framed beach nourishment as both an economic and safety priority, saying beaches and dunes “protect billions in property” and reduce risk to inland streets and roads. He asked the subcommittee to include those items in the FY27 priorities and to fully fund related Army Corps operations and maintenance work.

Committee leadership responded by thanking Van Drew for his testimony and asking the Army Corps to explain regional interactions among coastlines in its forthcoming work plans so members from different districts can understand cumulative effects of projects.

Next steps: Van Drew submitted project requests for inclusion in FY27 appropriations deliberations; no formal committee vote or decision was recorded during the member day.