Neptune City Mayor Hosting River Dredging Meeting
By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
Time is running out for the Shark River.
The river which borders Neptune, Neptune City, Avon, Belmar and Wall Township is quickly drying up, officials say. Dredging, which has been approved by the state, will give the river new life. But not all officials in the five towns bordering the river agree with the terms of the plan
Wall Township is the only municipality which has been approved by the state as a dewatering site. But Wall does not want to be the sole site for dredging material from the river. They believe other towns should bear some of the burden.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, has already approved a site near Camp Evans where dredge materials could be stored while they dry out.
The four other towns adjacent to the river are Neptune City, Neptune Township, Belmar and Avon.
Neptune City Mayor Thomas Arnone is hosting an information session Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Neptune City Community Center for boat owners and residents about the project and the urgency of getting it underway.
“This is for the future,” he said. “(Or) there will not be a future of the Shark River.”
Arnone said the dredging can only take place between October and December and stressed the importance of starting the project as soon as possible. He sent out 75 letters to boat owners in Wall Township inviting them to the meeting.
Arnone said he is most concerned about clearing up inaccuracies regarding the project and its impact on Wall Township residents.
The approved site is on Marconi Road near the Brighton Avenue Bridge.
Wall Township Administrator Joseph Verruni said township officials are concerned because the DEP has not put a time limit on the use of the approved site.
“We would like to be a good neighbor, but they (DEP) have said ‘as long as deemed necessary,’” Verruni said.
He added that that could mean “forever.”
Verruni said he believes the project could take decades to complete, denying Wall Township the use of the property for years to come.
Verruni also said other towns should be shouldering some of the burden of supplying dewatering sites for the project.
“The county owns a site adjacent to the township and they said no,” Verruni said. “And other municipalities have property.”
“If it was short term the township would consider it,” he said.
Verruni said Wall Township has been part of the dredging project for years.
“We are supportive of it – we are not supportive of being the sole recipient (of dredge materials),” he said.
Arnone said there is broad consensus that the river needs to be dredged, among residents, boaters and fishermen.
In his letter Arnone said, “Wall Township owns property that has been used previously to dewater dredge material from the Shark River. It is the only property contiguous to the river that is suitable for dewatering dredge materials.”
Arnone also points out that it is not near residential neighborhoods and has direct access to Route 18.
Contact Joanne Papaianni at joanne@thecoaster.net.
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October 16th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Oh, Puh-leeze Arnone. This is nothing but a spin session for you. How much are you going to raise our property taxes this year for this load of hooey? Here’s a thought…. why don’t you exercise your obligations under federal law, deport the illegal aliens we’re paying to educate with our overblown property taxes, and use THAT money to pay for you fear mongering project? LOL… you’re so funny. “There won’t be a Shark River” Boo Hoo.