Contact: Melinda Carl, Public Affairs, phone: (302) 739-4506 , e-mail: melinda.carl@state.de.us
or Ed Voight, US Army Corps of Engineers, phone: (215) 656-6515

ARMY CORPS, DNREC FORMALLY KICK OFF REHOBOTH-DEWEY BEACHFILL PROJECT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control hosted a ceremony at the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk this morning to mark the beginning of the long-awaited Rehoboth Beach/Dewey Beach Shore Protection Project. DNREC Secretary John A. Hughes introduced Governor Ruth Ann Minner before an enthusiastic group of supporters led by Delaware’s Congressional delegation who worked tirelessly to secure federal funding for the project.

“Certainly some of our enthusiasm for replenishing Delaware’s beaches is about recreation and tourism and keeping our competitive edge as a tourist destination,” said Gov. Minner. “But this 50-year, multi-million dollar project is about much more than tourism. It is very much about protecting our ecological resources with habitat restoration and protecting our coastal communities with flood control.”

“The condition of our beaches is key to our state’s economy in that more than five million people visit our coastal communities each year and sleep in our hotels, shop in our outlets, and eat at our restaurants,” said Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. “This is a long-term investment that has immeasurable return to our state and enhances the quality of life for everyone who lives in this region of the country.”

“Our beaches are vitally important to Delaware’s economic well-being,” said Sen. Thomas R. Carper. “These replenishment projects, when completed, will encourage more tourism for Sussex County and other areas in the state, bringing more business to shopping centers, restaurants and the hotel industry.”

“I am committed to demonstrating the importance of this project at the federal level by stressing its impact on the economy, tourism and recreation in our great state,” said Rep. Michael N. Castle. “Thousands of visitors come to Delaware each summer and this business is critical to the economy of Sussex County. I am proud the federal government has led the effort to secure this funding.

“The Army Corps of Engineers and the state of Delaware have worked diligently to develop a project that will safeguard the great investment made along the oceanfront here at Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach,” said John Paul Woodley Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. “Recent history has demonstrated projects such as this one work well to prevent damage from storms. They have an excellent record of protecting property from hurricanes and nor-easters all along our coasts. While millions of Americans know these beaches as summer getaways, they are also a vital part of the economy. The Corps now looks forward to moving ahead with this work to protect this important part of Delaware.”

The project involves placement of approximately 1.7 million cubic yards of sand to create a beachfill-and-dune system along 2.5 miles of ocean front from the northern end of Rehoboth Beach to the southern end of Dewey Beach. The sand will be pumped in from an offshore borrow area approximately 2.6 miles east of Indian River Inlet.

Work will start Feb. 1 in the middle of Dewey Beach in the vicinity of Dagsworthy Street and proceed south to Indian Beach, then north to the town limits. Once that section is completed, the operation will move into Rehoboth Beach, where the goal is to have all construction complete by June 1.

The Army Corps is managing initial construction and providing 65 percent of the $18 million cost, while DNREC is providing the balance of funds as the non-Federal sponsor. The prime contractor is Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company of Oak Brook, Ill.


 

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