Sand storm: NJ sues town that fixed eroded beach despite ban

NORTH WILDWOOD, N.J. (AP) — A sand storm at the Jersey shore is escalating.

New Jersey is suing a coastal town that repaired beach erosion from a fall storm in defiance of a state order not to do so.

And the town, North Wildwood, remains defiant: It says it will place material to build a prohibited bulkhead on the sand next week and promises it will build the wall if a storm predicted for this weekend causes the temporarily repaired dune to collapse.

The state says there is no imminent danger to communities near the beach and warns that the work the city wants to do could actually make future beach erosion worse.

A Superior Court judge on Thursday set a Jan. 17 court date to hear the dispute between the state Department of Environmental Protection and North Wildwood.

But the judge declined to issue an injunction immediately barring the town from installing the bulkhead or carrying out other emergency repairs.

The dispute involves damage to some North Wildwood beaches when the remnants of Hurricane Ian passed by in October, chewing huge chunks out of protective sand dunes.

North Wildwood asked New Jersey environmental officials for permission to do an emergency reconstruction of the sand piles.

The state said no. The city did it anyway.

Since then, conditions have only gotten worse in the area, Mayor Patrick Rosenello told The Associated Press.

“Practically every high tide has damaged that dune,” the mayor said Thursday. "We are expecting a nor'easter this weekend which, depending on the severity, could cause that dune to collapse.

“We will have bulkhead material on site by next week,” he said. “If the dune collapses, we will install the bulkhead.”

In court filings, the state said North Wildwood should not be permitted...