Gov. Christie Blasts "Selfish Homeowners" Holding Up Dune Project
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – When giving an update on the winter storm, New Jersey Governor Christie Christie took some time to blast the "selfish homeowners" who he says are holding up the dune project.
"If you look at what's happening in Margate, Point Pleasant Beach, two places that are fighting hard against the dunes. I saw today that early this morning there was significant water in the streets in Margate and ice floating up the streets. It had already gone over the wall that the residents and the government in Margate say is good enough to protect them from any storm."
Christie continued, "This is certainly not Superstorm Sandy and those street were already flooded this morning, Point Pleasant Beach the same thing. These are folks who are fighting against it and here's the result of it. Not just in Point Pleasant Beach, but if you look in Ortley Beach, which is part of that project that's been stopped because of the objections of 17 people in Point Pleasant Beach and about 30 people in Bayhead. Ortley beach is being pounded. We put a lot of sand up there at the request of the mayor of Toms River, but that sand has already washed away. If we had the dune project moving and close to completion in that area, those people in Ortley Beach would not be suffering the damage and loss they are today."
Christie said, "So the people in Ortley Beach can send their thank you notes to the people in Bayhead and Point Pleasant who continue to fight what is an environmentally sound and necessary project."
"It's three years post-Sandy. We need to get moving on this project. It should not be held up by who I really believe are a few very selfish homeowners who do not want to give in to the idea that we have to have these dunes by using the fake excuse that somehow I want to build a boardwalk or Ferris wheel, or a hot dog stand, or public bathrooms on the strip of land that we're taking."
