Public comment on: LURP File No

Public comment on: LURP File No.: 1325-06-0011.1 (CAF 060001)-CAFRA Permit

The Peters Family and Takanassee Developers (Long Branch, NJ)

Submitted by: Arthur F. Nelson, 8 Deborah Pl., Oakhurst, NJ 07755 (732-870-3479)

www.realfish-underwater.com

To Those Concerned:

This project is located in a very environmentally sensitive area along the ocean front in Monmouth County, NJ. Not only could it impact the ocean front in a negative way, but also the lake front (Takanassee lake). The possible on-land impact in both these areas has been fully stated by others. The area that I will speak about now can not be seen by the average person, and the impact would normally go undetected until it would be too late to correct.

The area that I speak of is the underwater bottom directly off the southern portion of the tract, extending to the north and slightly more off shore (that northerly portion). This area is the MOST BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE and therefore MOST SENSITIVE of any New Jersey inshore ocean bottom there is. The reason is that there is a NATURAL marine/rock patch reef formation (s) there that is closer to the land than anywhere else along our shore. This reef teems with life. It starts less than a stone’s throw from the beach.

Storms with high encroaching tides are common in that area. If people build there, defying natures past lessons, there will be flooding. The common call these days following such storms and flooding is; BEACH REPLENISHMENT.

If sand is pumped to replenish that section, it will cover over that natural reef system and kill the marine life along with covering the structure habitat. Your agency MUST NOT allow this to happen to this unique and wonderful natural reef system. There is nothing else like as close to the shore in all of New Jersey.

You may well ask how I know what is under the water in this area. I am a diver, underwater videographer, marine life artist and a freedive spearfisherman with over fifty years experience.

I grew up diving at Takanassee and I, along with very few others, have unparalleled experience in the central New Jersey marine environment.

Please live up to the “Environmental Protection” part of your agency’s name and disallow building on this tract.

Thank You,

Arthur (Art) Nelson 2/14/2008