WolfeNotes.com

Spun Media and Bought Off Coastal Advocates Fail to Take On Governor Christie’s Record

Gov. Christie’s Exectutive Order on coastal flood risk reduction demands scrutiny

How the West Was Won - foundational nostalgic myths shape Christie's "Rebuild Madness"

The Atlantic City Press has a story on dunes today:  Christie order could nullify Margate vote on building dunes

That story is a perfect example of what I warned about in Don’t get Duped By Dune Decision (look at photos in that post for illustration of what I mean).

Gov. Christie has very effectively demagogued the issue of selfish oceanfront property owners refusing to sign easements required to build dunes. Following the classic demagogue playbook, he has stoked and manipulated legitimate public animus to these selfish obstructionists to his own benefit.

The lap dog press has eaten that narrative up. Coastal experts have not challenged it, and some have supported it, despite known flaws.

The Gov. has done this while at the same time he has:

1) mislead the public about actual dune construction, 2) ignored the costs of dune construction and debates of whether those costs or even sufficient sand are sustainable, 3) conflated dune construction with beach replenishment, 4) masked the difference between natural and artificial dunes, 5) exaggerated the role of dunes in hazard mitigation, 6) ignored science based warnings and fundamental principles of coastal planning and management, 7) denied or ignored sea level rise and climate change impacts; 8. deregulated rebuilding and crippled DEP coastal management programs, and 9) abandoned or blocked all efforts to rationally and publicly plan for the future, while accelerating shortsighted “rebuild in place” (AKA “Rebuild Madness”).

That is a remarkably irresponsible record of policy and planning failure.

While all of this failure has gone unreported, the Gov. has diverted attention from these major failings in his Sandy rebuild and coastal management policies.

Last time the diversion was accomplished by a legal settlement with 1 shore homeowner. Here’s how that was done again today.

The AC Press story today basically finds the needle in the haystack.

While ignoring all the major issues that have led former DEP Commissioner Mauriello to warn of the “dangerous” “unsustainable” “drunk of federal funds” path NJ is on, the story relies on an anomalous situation in one coastal town – Margate – and one action by the Gov. – Executive Order # 140 – to create the false impression that Gov. Christie is taking bold, progressive, science based, and meaningful steps to protect the coast:

The order also announced Christie’s creation of the Office of Flood Hazard Risk Reduction Measures within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which will coordinate and lead efforts to acquire the necessary property to build dunes.

“To me, this especially is a big deal,” Miller said. “The governor was saying he would do this and now he’s throwing in the power of his office and the Attorney General’s Office. He’s not standing by and cheerleading and threatening. He’s actually moving into action.”

Mr. Miller should stick to geology and stay out of policy and politics.

Christie’s Executive Order is basically more window dressing to cover the numerous deficiencies noted above. The real news in that Executive Order was totally ignored – so here it is:

WHEREAS, working collaboratively with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, New Jersey has begun the process of designing Flood Hazard Risk Reduction Measures for appropriate areas of the New Jersey coastline 

The process is just beginning? What is the process? What are effective risk reduction measures? How much will they cost? WHo pays for them? How can the public participate in this  process and influence DEP and USACE decisions?

There is no plan, no funding, and no regulatory framework to implement the Executive Order. It’s diddly squat in terms of real policy. And it ignores equally significant inland flooding from NJ’s rivers and streams.

Here’s my note to the reporter, Sarah Watson:

Sarah – Despite Gov. Christie’s repeated statements about dunes, up and down the coast, the Army Corps is doing traditional beach replenishment projects, not building dunes.

Dunes have not be authorized by Congress, funded by Congress, and NJ, or designed yet – construction, even if authorized by Congress and designed, is years off.

Dunes are not a panacea – DEP historically has warned the public that they create a false sense of security and invite development to hazardous locations.

The piles of Sand that local government are paying for are not dunes and are very vulnerable to washout with a minor coastal storm.

On top of all that, the Gov. has promoted rebuild in exactly the same vulnerable locations and DEP deregulated rebuild – all while, at best, ignoring and basically denying climate change and sea level rise.

Now, with all this ignored by the media, how can you use the Margate situation, the Gov. Executive Order and Miller to create the impression that Christie is doing great work?

Unbelievable.

Wolfe