Sand-A-Claus Not on Newburyport’s Beach Restoration Agenda

February 16, 2008

“No, Virginia, there isn’t a Sand-a-Claus, at least not on Newburyport’s portion of Plum Island! “

Newburyport Is Not Going To Provide Funding To Hire Beach Restoration Lobbyist

Property owners on Plum Island and the Town of Newbury are probably disappointed with City of Newburyport Mayor John Moak’s recent decision not to request that the City Council authorize spending $18,000 for hiring a Washington, DC lobbying firm to help secure Federal funding for the replenishment and restoration of Plum Island beaches.

A group of Plum Island property owners and the Town of Newbury had been hoping Newburyport would join in theiir effort to raise $40,000 to hire a Wahington D.C based lobbying firm, Marlowe & Company a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm that specializes in persuading Congress to put up money for beach replenishment projects. As stated in a Daily News of Newburyport article, the company’s president, Howard Marlowe, has been called “Sand-a Claus” by the national newspaper USA Today for his ability to deliver beach funds for clients.

The $18,000 represented Newburyport’s portion of the $40,000 annual fee that was to be charged by the lobbying group. The Town of Newbury would be responsible for providing $18,000 as well and a group of homeowners had already raised $4,000 privately to use for hiring the lobbying firm.

Plum Island is a barrier beach that, from the center of Plum Island northward, has sustained serious erosion in recent years. Additionally, the jetty at the north end of the island is in need of serious repair. The lack of regular dredging and beach replenishment efforts together with weakened jetties at the mouth of the Merrimack River and a series of strong coastal storms over the past few years have put some structures on the Island in a perilous situation.

Mayor Moak said that he and the council “strongly support the efforts of our senatorial and congressional delegation and have confidence in our elected officials and their staff to procure the funding for a three-phase urgent plan to protect Plum Island beaches.”

Urgency is definitely the key word here. Barrier beaches are dynamic environments and Plum Island is a barrier beach that is in a weakened state. The three-pronged plan of dredging, jetty repairs and replenishment must be performed on a regular, recurring basis. A few well-timed, strong storms can change the Island’s coastline quickly and dramatically. Hopefully, our elected officials can work in a timely manner to help replenish the Plum Island coastline.

The time factor associated with getting a response from our elected officials is the “wildcard” here. How long can Plum Island afford to wait for funding to be procured through normal channels? For the Plum Island property owners and the Town of Newbury, it would be prudent to explore all options for other ways to raise that additional $18,000. It is always wise to have an alternative plan, especially if there is a way to jumpstart the process.

The Plum Island beach replenishment effort is going to need all the help it can get to make the wheels in Washington, D.C. move. If a lobbyist who knows how to make the process work can also be brought onboard to help, then that is another option that should be utilized. Time is of the essence when you live on a barrier beach.

You can find additional information about the Plum Island beach restoration effort and the lobbying funding issue in the article by Victor Tine in the February 13^th issue of the Newburyport Daily News.