NJ DEP Awards $14.8M in Natural Climate Solutions Grants for Flood Protection

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2026

Contact: Lawrence Hajna (609) 984-1795
Caryn Shinske (609) 984-1795
Vincent Grassi (609) 984-1795

SHERRILL ADMINISTRATION DELIVERS NEARLY $15 MILLION IN GRANT AWARDS TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES FROM FLOODING

(26/P16) TRENTON – Marking Earth Week, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak today announced the award of $14.8 million in grants through DEP’s Natural Climate Solutions Grant Program for three projects that protect communities in Cape May, Cumberland, and Ocean counties from flooding by restoring coastal ecosystems to provide natural storm-surge and flood protection.

“These projects deliver on Governor Sherrill’s mission to protect our communities from flooding and will directly protect property, infrastructure and local economies, and help avoid more costly repairs caused by severe storms,” Acting Commissioner Potosnak said during a news conference in Point Pleasant.

The innovative grant program supports projects that enhance salt marshes, tidal estuaries, and forests to improve communities’ flood resilience. The grant awards, part of the program’s latest funding round launched in August 2025, were announced during a press conference at a salt marsh restoration project site in the northern Barnegat Bay region that will protect a school, drinking water infrastructure and homes.

Project Details

Nellie Bennett Salt Marsh Project: The Barnegat Bay Partnership will receive $4.8 million to restore 13 acres of the Nellie Bennett Salt Marsh in the Borough of Point Pleasant, Ocean County, located at the confluence of Beaverdam Creek and the Metedeconk River in northern Barnegat Bay. It includes elevating and rebuilding the marsh platform using 29,000 cubic yards of dredged material from nearby lagoons, supplemented by municipal compost placed within coir logs (biodegradable tubes used for erosion control) in high marsh areas.

Once complete, the restored marshland will provide valuable wildlife habitat and serve as a buffer that protects the Nellie Bennett Elementary School, nearby drinking water infrastructure, local roadways, and more than 150 homes in surrounding neighborhoods vulnerable to flooding and erosion.

“On the first Earth Day in 1970, children could walk across this entire marsh as it protected the Boro from storm surge. With this grant, the marsh will protect the community for decades to come,” said Borough of Point Pleasant Mayor Bob Sabosik.

“Restoring the Nellie Bennett Marsh improves coastal resilience in the Borough of Point Pleasant, restores a natural carbon sink along the New Jersey coast, and brings back important wildlife habitat in a highly developed part of the Barnegat Bay,” said Barnegat Bay Partnership Director Andrew McGowan. “We are very appreciative of the support and funding from NJDEP, the many partners of the Barnegat Bay Partnership who have shared their thoughts and suggestions as we developed the project, and the Borough of Point Pleasant for working with us to make this happen.”

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Mouth of Maurice River Project: The American Littoral Society will receive $5 million to build upon work initiated during the first round of NCS funding to restore 13 acres of marsh along a highly vulnerable marsh island in the Northwest Reach of the Maurice River mouth in Delaware Bay. Historical agricultural practices and severe wave energy have caused extensive marsh loss in this region.

This second phase includes installing several 200‑foot hybrid breakwaters, structures typically made from rock and natural elements such as oyster shells that are designed to reduce the impact of incoming waves. Additional low‑profile breakwaters and permeable barriers will help trap suspended sediments and rebuild marsh elevation over time. The project will establish a continuous line of protection for the Northwest Reach, reducing storm energy, elevating marshland, and advancing long‑term goals to restore 375 acres of degraded marsh that will protect nearby communities.

“Building hybrid breakwaters and protecting marsh at the mouth of the Maurice River not only advances carbon sequestration goals but also delivers meaningful resilience benefits in one of the most vulnerable areas along the Bayshore. It’s a powerful example of how nature-based infrastructure can address multiple climate-related impacts at once, making it a smart investment,” said Danielle McCulloch, American Littoral Society Executive Director. “The Society and our team are grateful for our continuing partnership with the NJDEP through the Natural Climate Solutions Program, and proud to implement solutions that secure the future of communities, fish and wildlife in our state.”

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Shooting Island Project: Ocean City will receive $5 million to restore 136 acres of salt marsh on Shooting Island, situated along the Intracoastal Waterway west of Ocean City in Great Egg Harbor Bay. The multi‑phase project begins with the placement of approximately 11,200 cubic yards of dredged sediment to reestablish the island’s historical wetland footprint. Subsequent phases will entail application of thin layers of dredged sediment to interior ponds and low‑lying areas to support marsh creation and improve vegetation growth.

Restoring elevation across degraded areas of the marsh will enhance ecological resilience to sea‑level rise, protect community infrastructure and nearby homes, and support habitat goals for threatened and endangered bird species, including the black rail and salt marsh sparrow.

“Ocean City has been a leader in investing in solutions related to habitat restoration and living shorelines during an era of rising seas,” said Ocean City Mayor Jay A. Gillian. “The city is deeply grateful to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the grant funding and the opportunity to partner in this important work.”

About the Natural Climate Solutions Grant Program

The DEP remains committed to fostering partnerships and investing in natural climate solutions that deliver flood protection and other measurable environmental, social, and economic benefits. By supporting projects that restore and preserve coastal ecosystems, New Jersey is taking significant strides to safeguard communities and our natural ecosystems for future generations. The grant program’s application period is open, and funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis through a rolling admission period.

For more information on the Natural Climate Solutions grant program and other DEP initiatives, please visit https://dep.nj.gov/climatechange/mitigation/ncs-grant/

For questions or inquiries, please email NJClimate@dep.nj.gov.

For more information on DEP’s celebration of Earth Week 2026, including a proclamation signed by Governor Sherrill, press releases, social media and other resources, visit https://dep.nj.gov/

DEP Photos/Top: Acting DEP Commissioner speaks at a press conference held at the site of the Nellie Bennett Salt Marsh Project in the Borough of Point Pleasant, Ocean County. Bottom: Degraded marsh environment in the Nellie Bennet salt marsh in Point Pleasant.