North Wildwood Files Lawsuit After New Jersey Cancels $54 Million Shoreline Protection Project

North Wildwood sued the NJDEP for abruptly ending a $54 million Jersey Shore beach and dune restoration project. The years-long project would have strengthened Five-Mile Island beaches and dunes like North Wildwood, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, and Lower Township’s Diamond Beach after Superstorm Sandy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers protected homes, businesses, and public spaces from storm damage.

Municipal design and scope disputes delayed and canceled Wildwood Crest earlier this year. North Wildwood repeatedly warns of storm surges and severe weather on its beaches. DEP critic Mayor Patrick Rosenello called the project’s cancellation a major failure that exposes local communities to risks the agency warned about. Rosenello advised legal action to protect residents and hold the DEP accountable for bureaucratic mismanagement.

In 2026, state officials diverted funding to other shoreline resilience programs because Five-Mile Island municipalities disagreed on the project’s scope. DEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said other projects could use offshore sand despite the failed plan. New initiatives may not get funding, he warned. Project planning and design cost nearly $2.4 million, but it was halted.

This lawsuit continues North Wildwood’s coastal protection dispute with the state. The city was cited for violating coastal zone management laws during dune restoration in 2023, highlighting the complex shoreline maintenance regulatory landscape. Recent storms have left local leaders saying legal action is the only way to prevent beach erosion.

Sources
NJ Advance Media reporting
Statements from North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announcements