New Jersey Homeowners Force Majeure - Soil Erosion - Research Paper Example

Whether New Jersey Homeowners With Houses on the Beach Should Be Able to Rebuild With Government Help in the Event of Severe Erosion. Introduction. The New Jersey homeowners are beset soil erosion. The research delves on New Jersey’s soil erosion rehabilitation program. The research delves on the government’s contribution to the rebuilding of the eroding New Jersey soil environment. The New Jersey homeowners with beach houses are able to rebuild their eroded properties with government help when severe erosion unexpectedly crops up. Soil Erosion Act. The state of New Jersey established the Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act to help the residents with their soil erosion problems. The act affirms that the residents are used to prepare for the continuing soil erosion of the homes. New Jersey’s State Soil Conservation Committee and the Soil Conservation district and the local counties, Department of Environmental Protection, and municipalities have banded together to implement a coordinated effort to manage soil and sediment erosion program (http://www.nj.gov/). In addition, tThe New Jersey government program will effectively protect the people’s homes and property from the soil erosions. The same law described soil erosion as the forces of nature’s detaching or moving soil from its original location, including the Atlantic Ocean’s eroding the homes and beaches of New Jersey. The forces of nature include wind, gravity, and ice (http://www.nj.gov/). Government help during soil erosion events. As far back as the 1970s, the United States government was already helping states that were afflicted with soil erosion debacles (U.S. EPA 199). The United States Congress crafted and passed the Model State Policy for Erosion and Sediment Control Law during the 1970s. The law focuses on monitoring, controlling, and alleviating soil erosion within the 50 states, including New Jersey. The law penalizes violations that would aggravate the current soil erosion problems of any United States community. Furthermore, the government’s Army Corps of Engineers went on a massive beach replenishment program (No_author 6). The soil erosion management program Included New Jersey’s Sea Bright to Monnmouth beaches. The two beach communities are normally the first to be hit by rampaging hurricanes entering the United States east coast territorial areas. During 1991, the New Jersey government spent $1.2 billion to repair the soil erosion that cropped up along the beaches lined from Sea Bright beach to Monmouth beach soil. In 1991 and 1992, the New Jersey soil erosion damages reached $250 million. In 1992, the Federal Government allocated $15 million annually for the coastal soil erosion control and rehabilitation program. The United States government pays for 65 percent of the cost of soil erosion program. The remaining 35 percent is paid by the local New Jersey government’s counties and other private contributors. The soil erosion program includes the soil replenishment of Cape May City, Sea Isle, Union Beach, Harvey Cedars, Spring Lake, and Atlantic City (No_author 6). Moreover, many people are heading towards to coasts to engage in their favorite pastime, beach activities. Research conducted shows that 4/5 of the United States coastlines, including the New Jersey coastline, are eroding. Some eroding locations reach as high as five feet a year. Likewise, the global warming’s side effect, ocean level rising, significantly contributes to soil eroding as the ocean encroaches into the low areas of the coastal areas, including the New Jersey coast line. The research also indicated that the United States East Coast is slowly sinking below the ocean level, leading to coastal flooding (Richey 1). Florida soil erosion control and management plan. To fight back against soil erosion, Florida’s South Beach used sandbags to forestall the unceasing Atlantic Ocean’s debilitating East Coast soil erosion activities. The project includes placing 145,000 sand bags as dams to prevent the ocean from increasing soil erosion. Likewise, the encroaching beach water is pumped out from the beach areas (Richey 1). Texas soil erosion control and management plan. Further, the Texas government continues to implement a coordinate effort to stop soil erosion (New York Times 6). The New Jersey government’s representative, Division of Engineering and Construction Administrator Bernard Moore includes closing Highway 36 in the government’s soil erosion control program. Mr. Moore addressed the New Jersey Shore Partnership to explain the government’s major contribution to the local soil erosion management plan. The partnership is composed of representatives from the different coastal counties of New Jersey. The members of the partners combine energy, knowledge, and finances to combat the relentless Atlantic Ocean’s soil erosion activities. The partnership includes businessmen and private individuals who are eager to contribute to the New Jersey soil erosion reduction program. The soil erosion program helps the New Jersey tourism industry. Many New Jersey beach lovers come from the other communities with the United States. The New Jersey Tourism industry reached the $9 billion shore tourism level as early as 1991. Further, the Texas government effectively fights fight the soil erosion attacks of the Gulf of Mexico. The local Texas State government offers beach replenishment funds to help the coastal residents reduce soil erosion trends. The United States’ Federal Coastal Impact Assistance Program coordinates with the local Texas State government’s Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act to control soil erosion among its residents. The State local Texas law making body passed the law to ensure its home owners that the United States and the local Texas State is prioritizing the soil planning and response activities (Amsalu 99). Texas soil erosion survey related to New Jersey soil erosion issues. Several researches prodded the United States to help the coastal communities resolve soil erosion problems. A survey conducted on 147 Texas home owners shows that an estimated 70 percent of the homeowners reported erosion problems. Likewise, a majority of the soil erosion respondents offered several soil erosion solutions. The research indicated that 82 percent of the respondents recommended the government help in the draining of the encroaching waters out of their Texas communities. Further, the research showed that 83 percent of those interviewed proposed government’s contouring help will resolve the soil erosion problem In addition, 73 percent of the respondents recommended the government help establish stone terraces or bunds (Amsalu 99). Conclusion. Summarizing the important points of the above discussion, the New Jersey homeowners are continually being barraged with soil erosion. The New Jersey’s soil erosion rehabilitation program is a successful partnership of many individuals, private entities, and the United States government. The government’s contribution to the rebuilding of the eroding New Jersey soil environment is significant. Evidently, the New Jersey homeowners with beach houses can successfully repair their eroded properties with significant federal and local government aid when severe erosion flexes its property-damaging muscles. Works Cited: Amsalu, Aklilu. "Views of Soil Erosion Problems and their Conservation Knowledge." Agriculture and Human Values 23.1 (2006): 99-108. Print. No_author. "Army Corps Starts Erosion-Control Project on New Jersey Shore." New York Times 1 December 1993: 6. Print. Richey, Warrren. "At Beaches, Sand is Running out Erosion of America's Coasts Accelerates as Man Fights a Sea Rise of Two feet Every 10 years." The Christian Science Montior 8 July 1999: 1. Print. U.S. EPA. Processes, Procedures, and Methods to Control Pollution . Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 1973. Print. Department of Agriculture. Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act. Retrieved December 3, 2012 from Read More