$4.6 million approved for Ocean City beach replenishment

The Maryland Board of Public Works has unanimously approved a $4.6 million beach replenishment project in Ocean City.

"Replacing and restoring the beaches and berms is essential to the economic health and future of Ocean City,” said Mark Belton, Maryland Natural Resources secretary, in a release.

“The partnership between federal, state and local agencies demonstrates the importance of this project to the Eastern Shore, and the millions of tourists and visitors who flock to the sandy beaches of Ocean City each and every year.”

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The project, slated to begin in autumn, is part of scheduled beach and berm nourishment plans in Ocean City.  In all, 371,000 cubic yards of sand will be pumped onto the beach to replace damage caused by the winter storm that hit the region in January 2016, with an additional maximum of 512,000 cubic yards pumped to bring the beaches up to snuff.

The beach replenishment project is a collaboration between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, The Town of Ocean City and Worcester County.