Ruby Liss holds a sign that says it all.

Until recently, the ASBPA thought their only problem was that money from Washington DC was drying up. They lobby for federal dollars for “shore protection,” and the end products are massive dredge and fill beach replenishment projects delivered by the Army Corps of Engineers and their contractors.

Surfrider Foundation gave them a lot more to worry about on Monday, by leading a group of 50 surfers, anglers, divers, homeowners and concerned citizens in protest claiming their projects do anything but “protect” the shore.

Surf spots, fish habitat, and shipwrecks with historical and cultural significance have all been covered over by sand pumping. Some beaches are less safe after sand bars and low-tide terraces are buried leaving sharp drop-offs at the water’s edge. Furthermore, development runs wild after these beachfill projects which disgusts environmentalists and leads to the abuse of eminent domain.

They Couldn’t Have Picked a Better Place.



Their conference was held in a hotel on a stretch of beach that serves as the poster child for development gone wild following beach replenishment. People homes and businesses were taken from them so the town could “redevelop” the area. Now there are million-dollar condos and a line of restaurants even closer to the ocean than the previous buildings were before the beachfill. We didn’t have to bring pictures, we just asked people to look around.

Our banner read Replenishment = Vulnerable Development