The Causeway Bridge is the dividing line for the current bay clean underway.
As the bay is still being scanned for debris and is being marked, the controversial Ashbritt contractors that won the bid for this zone is doing the tedious job of cleaning the hundreds of miles of coast and marshlands and Sedge islands south of the bridge.
Yesterday I met with the on-the-ground foreman and observed first hand a well- oiled machine at work. As the morning barge approached from Flat Island, the barge had one 40-yard container filled to the brim and a second pile of debris that had everything, even the kitchen sink, in it.
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The Ship Bottom public ramp serves as the weigh station for the boats and containers and ferrying point for the subcontracted ALL NEW JERSEY CREW that Ashbritt has hired.
I myself witnessed not only a green state of mind in practice as well as an on-site safety officer. Also being used are local boats that have been recycled from the storm.
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They are cleaning more than one can even begin to imagine and doing it in not only a fast pace but an environmentally-friendly fashion. Last Sunday I watched them in Beach Haven - in the rain - cleaning the Sedge Islands closest to the beach side. Today I went to these islands and it's like a huge magic wand had been swiped from God over them.
Each island is being done one at a time and get 18-foot soldiers put on them, timed with the tides. These 18 human rakes scour the grass piles and set single paths on the islands - one way inand one way out - insuring the least amount of intrusion.
They then amass piles of debris and then the barge - fitted with a DEP sticker and site reference sticker - is filled. Believe me the DEP isn't making it easy on anyone.
I for one will be the first to eat my hat and say the Ashbritt Bay cleanup is well beyond the other crews we have had on the bay and surpass them in all aspects of workmanship and environmentally-friendly cleaning as well as using ONLY LOCAL contractors and staff. They may cost more, but we are getting our monies worth and more, including a local knowledge, a willingness to take pride and a sense of 'lets get the bay back to its once glory.'
Next week I will be traveling on board the cleaning barge and will see first hand cleaning efforts on the bay. The Crews will be getting Easter off for a much needed rest.
Happy Easter our Sandy family and I'm here to say, the bay will be ready by June, so get your boats out of storage and get ready. Buy that new fishing pole, new boat and let's go boating at the Jersey Shore.
Dreging will begin probably sooner than later and BHW lagoons have been visually checked so far for wet debris. Shoaled areas will be dredged.
One note - marinas are hard at work trying to reopen. This is a long process and the much-needed bridge gap grants can't come soon enough. Each town has to support their marine industry and opt into this funding. Check your local municipalities and make sure they are.
