SURF CITY, N.J. - The feds will be back at it on Long Beach Island, scouring the sand for World War I ordnance mistakenly pumped ashore as part of a beach-replenishment project.
Equipment and workers taking part in the $17 million cleanup will begin arriving today in Surf City, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Cleanup could begin by Monday, and major work is scheduled to be completed by May 22.
The corps has awarded a $13.6 million contract to Weston Solutions Inc. of West Chester to complete the cleanup. Sand from the dune, berm and surf zone areas of the beach will be sifted through a series of screens to remove any munitions.
More than 1,100 munitions have been found since a replenishment project was completed in 2006-07 in Surf City.
They were unwittingly pumped ashore along with 880,000 cubic yards of sand. Beaches were closed in 2007, and a cleanup was conducted before the start of the summer season, but more munitions were found in 2007 and 2008.
The corps already has spent about $2.9 million on cleanups over the last two years.
