NEWBURYPORT — State and city officials who went to Washington, D.C., Tuesday to request funding to fortify the jetties at the mouth of the Merrimack River are reporting short-term success in what likely will be a long-term lobbying project.
Sen. Steven Baddour, D-Methuen, and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester; Rep. Mike Costello, D-Newburyport; Newburyport Mayor Donna Holaday and Newbury selectmen Chairman Joe Story were among local elected officials who met with the area's congressional delegation to plead Plum Island's case.
The local contingent had individual sessions with Democratic Sen. John Kerry, Republican Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic Rep. John Tierney.
"Our meetings were very useful," Costello said. "The senators and Congressman Tierney were well briefed on our situation, and we had good discussions.
"We also met with officials of the Army Corps of Engineers. When we were looking at aerial photos, I managed to point out the house of Scott Brown's father."
Brown's father, former Newburyport City Councilor C. Bruce Brown, lives on Plum Island.
Costello said that because earmarks for projects funded at the request of elected officials essentially have been abolished, the Army Corps of Engineers will be judging requests on merit.
The Corps of Engineers has acted in the past to protect Plum Island from erosion, most recently in 2010 when the agency dredged the mouth of the Merrimack River, transferring sand from there to the shores of the island.
"Placing sand along the coast last year bought some time for officials to develop a long-term strategy to protect these communities, but it is important that we stay proactive in seeking federal support for protecting the residents and infrastructure of the island," Tarr said in a release.
The competition for funding is stiff, Costello said.
"The amount of money available for port projects is getting smaller, and you have big industrial ports like New Orleans competing for funds," he said. "Those of us working on the jetty project have to stay with it, because there are a lot of competitors."
But Holaday remained hopeful.
"It is encouraging to hear that our entire congressional delegation and the Army Corps are committed to doing what they can to assist us in stabilizing the current erosion situation," she said in a statement.
Baddour called the meetings impressive and credited Kerry, Brown and Tierney with knowing "every detail of our situation" on Plum Island.
"It was great to know our Washington representatives are moving forward together," he said in a release.
The estimate to rebuild and strengthen the jetties is about $5 million, according to local officials.
The trip was sponsored by the nonprofit Plum Island Foundation, composed of concerned citizens committed to saving the island, in conjunction with the Merrimack River Beach Alliance.
Plum Island homeowner Marc Sarkady, president of Plum Island Foundation and a political consultant in Washington, said federal support is crucial to his group's efforts.
"The contacts and commitments we received during our meetings on Capitol Hill and at the Army Corps of Engineers will be critical for our efforts, especially at such an important phase of the project," Sarkady said.
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