Brick Township, N.J. – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed the initial phase of a multimillion-dollar debris cleanup at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. The completed area, in southern New Jersey’s Brick Township, contained some of the most dense debris resulting from 2012’s Hurricane Sandy.
More than 250 tons of debris were extracted from coastal marshes in Brick Township in an operation that was primarily water-based and relied on floating cranes and barges to reach isolated areas not accessible by land. “We’re thrilled the work in Brick is complete,” said Virginia Rettig, Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Manager. “The work to clean up the refuge has been very tedious, as all debris must be handpicked. The crews have been working very hard and are dedicated to cleaning up the refuge.”
So far, removed debris has been mainly non-hazardous, though some household chemicals have been found and separated out for proper disposal.
The next phase of the project will shift efforts southward to Stafford Township, where significant amounts of litter and storm wreckage have washed over from Long Beach Island. The operation will then move down to Eagleswood Township.
The cleanup began in Stafford in early April. Most work is occurring off of Cedar Run Dock Road. Partial road blockages, which would allow trucks to haul out debris from staging areas, are expected to be infrequent with few anticipated disruptions to local traffic. Work will continue through the summer.
Debris removal is funded through the Fish and Wildlife Service by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Funding for the cleanup will also repair roads and trails and provide backup power sources at the Forsythe refuge.
