[Ferrybeach-news] Ferry Beach After the Storm

Sat Apr 28 23:58:20 EDT 2007

Dear Friends,

I am writing to share with you news of recent storm damage to the Ferry
Beach / Camp Ellis area, and to ask for your immediate action in lobbying
for a permanent fix that will protect Ferry Beach for years to come.

As many of you know, the Patriot's Day Nor'easter that moved up the coast
last week hit the Camp Ellis / Ferry Beach area hard.  News reports showed
several houses that had collapsed into the ocean and several others that had
also been condemned.  Much of the road beginning two blocks south of Quillen
had collapsed and washed away.  Ferry Beach, fortunately, survived the
storm.  Other than replacing a few roofing shingles and a few pieces of
siding on Quillen, damage was limited to dune erosion, fencing, debris and a
lot of downed limbs.  We lost power from Monday morning until Wednesday
afternoon, and were without drinkable water until Friday morning.  The
dunes, however, suffered most during the high tides.  When the storm was
over and the dunes were measured, we discovered that 16 feet of dune had
washed away.

On Friday, April 20, 2007, a delegation of local, state, and federal
officials, along with an entourage of media, descended on the area for a
formal tour and press conference.  Among the group were Senator Olympia
Snowe and Senator Susan Collins, Governor John Baldacci, Administrator of
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) David Paulison, and District
Engineer for the Army Corp of Engineers Colonel Curtis Thalken.  Saco
officials included the Mayor, Town Manager, and Director of Emergency
Response.  Discussions both on camera and off were encouraging and frank.
Along with Drew Dumsch, Ferry Beach Ecology School Executive Director, and
Fayre Stephenson, Ferry Beach Program Director, I was struck most by the
level of understanding our Senators and Governor had about the problems, and
their willingness to ask the tough questions, especially to Colonel Thalken.
In one television interview, Senator Snowe likened the destruction to
Hurricane Katrina.  With pressure like that, FEMA and the Army Corps have
good motivation to finally get it right. 

A permanent fix begins with the Water Resources Development Act of 2007
(WRDA) Bill (HR 1495), which passed the House on April 19, 2007 by a vote of
394-25.  The legislation authorizes a variety of studies and projects by the
Army Corps of Engineers, including $26.9 million to prevent and repair the
severe erosion at Camp Ellis in Saco.  Representative Tom Allen spoke on the
floor of the House in favor of the legislation, which passed that evening.
"Camp Ellis is experiencing the worst coastal erosion in the State of
Maine," said Representative Allen.  "Thirty-eight homes have been lost to
the sea.  These dangerous conditions are caused by a structure erected,
improved, and maintained by the United States Government.  For that reason,
I believe that the federal government has a responsibility to alleviate this
situation."  

As Representative Allen noted, the erosion we experience is caused by a
jetty at the mouth of the Saco River constructed in 1868 by the Army Corps
of Engineers.  It prevents the natural replenishment of the beaches at Camp
Ellis, resulting in the devastation of our beach and the Camp Ellis
community. The $26.9 million authorized by WRDA 2007 will construct a spur
jetty and a series of breakwaters to allow replenishment of the beach and
diminish the force of wave action upon Camp Ellis and Ferry Beach.

The bill has now moved to the Senate (S 865) where it is currently in the
Committee on Environment & Public Works, chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer
from California.  Representatives for Senators Snowe and Collins hope the
bill will be taken up by the full Senate before Memorial Day.  

ACTION NEEDED NOW!  We cannot emphasize enough how important it is for you
to call your state's two federal Senators and ask them to urge Senator Boxer
to have her committee report S 865 out favorably and support the final
version of the WRDA 2007 bill that includes the Camp Ellis Beach Restoration
Act when it comes to a vote in the Senate.  As stated by Representative
Allen, this bill is the next step in getting the funding to begin fixing the
erosion problems at Camp Ellis and Ferry Beach.  

You can get your Senator's names and phone numbers by going on-line to
http://www.senate.gov/ and clicking on your state in the upper right hand
corner.  The members of the Committee on Environment & Public Works are
printed below.  When contacting your Senator (either by phone, email, or
letter), it is important to ask for a reply from the Senator stating the
Senator's position on the bill.  Asking for a response gives the message
more importance since they will have to respond.  

The Shoreline Commission held a meeting at Wormwood's Restaurant in Camp
Ellis on Tuesday, April 24, 2007.  Over 150 residents and other interested
parties, including a number of local, city and state officials were in
attendance and spoke about their particular areas of interest and expertise.
Clearly, we are not alone in our desire to save the area.  

The following day, President George W. Bush signed a Presidential Disaster
Declaration for 6 counties in Maine, ours included.  "This is an encouraging
first step from the federal government," Governor Baldacci said. "The
declaration makes it possible for work to begin on repairing and rebuilding
the roads, bridges and public infrastructure that was destroyed in the
storm." 

As it stands, the declaration covers only damage to public property.  A
separate determination must be made as to whether residents and businesses
qualify for individual federal assistance.  "It's crucial that people report
damage to their homes and businesses," Governor Baldacci said. "We need to
gather as much information as possible about the extent of the storm's
impact."  To that end, Ferry Beach has submitted its losses as well as the
impact of the storm on the dunes.

Where does Ferry Beach go from here?  There are several things we and Ferry
Beachers can do to help slow the devastating effects of dune erosion until
the larger solution is completed.  

1.  Contact your two federal state Senators and ask them to vote IN FAVOR of
passing the WRDA 2007 bill.  Take 5 minutes out of your day and give them a
call.  It really works!

2.  Join with Ferry Beach and our neighbors in initiating a Beach
Replenishment Plan.  I have spoken to the Licensing Coordinator of the
Portland Department of Environmental Protection about what we can do.  In
addition to replacing the dune sand that has washed away, we can replant
dune grass, rope off all access to the dunes from the beach front, and build
a new diagonally angled boardwalk to the beach that will slow the damage of
storm surges.  We intend to work on the new boardwalk during Work Week.  We
are also looking into the cost and logistics of bringing in more sand.  

Please sign up for Work Week this summer and help us begin this important
work.  There will also be other opportunities to help during our summer
conferences.

3. Stay informed.  Visit  <http://www.ferrybeach.org/> www.ferrybeach.org
and the "SOS Camp Ellis" website at
<http://www.soscampellis.homestead.com/> www.soscampellis.homestead.com for
updates.

Based on the reactions we have witnessed by our elected leaders and the
speed at which this issue is finally moving through the appropriate
channels, I am confident that a solution will be reached soon.  If the bill
passes the Senate this year and if the money is appropriated in the
following years budget, we could see work begin on the jetty within 2 years.
Now is the time to act and secure our future!

Thank you for your continued support of Ferry Beach - we are looking forward
to seeing you soon and having a wonderful summer!

Warmly,

Craig

Craig Lentz, Executive Director

Ferry Beach Park Association

5 Morris Ave.  Saco, ME 04072

207.282.4489;  FAX: 207.283.4465

 <mailto:wfbcraig at maine.rr.com> fbcraig at maine.rr.com

 <http://www.ferrybeach.org/> www.ferrybeach.org

The sub-committee members of the Committee on Environment & Public Works
are:

Max Baucus (Chair) - Democrat

Thomas Carper - Democrat

Hillary Clinton - Democrat 

Benjamin Cardin - Democrat 

Bernard Sanders - Independent

Johnny Isakson - Republican

John Warner - Republican 

George Voinovich - Republican

David Vitter - Republican

The committee members of the Committee on Environment & Public Works once it
gets out of sub-committee are:

Barbara Boxer (Chair) - Democrat 

Max Baucus- Democrat 

Joseph Lieberman - Democrat 

Thomas Carpe r- Democrat 

Hillary Clinton - Democrat 

Frank Lautenberg - Democrat 

Benjamin Cardin - Democrat 

Bernard Sanders - Democrat 

Amy Klobuchar - Democrat

Sheldon Whitehouse - Democrat 

James Inhofe - Republican 

John Warner - Republican

George Voinovich - Republican

Johnny Isakson - Republican

David Vitter - Republican 

Lamar Alexander - Republican

Larry Craig - Republican

Craig Thomas - Republican 

Christopher Bond - Republican