Residents Push for Rock Replenishment at Sunrise Beach
MARSHFIELD — A longtime Marshfield resident is urging town officials to reverse a decision made nearly 50 years ago that he says continues to erode Sunrise Beach and endanger oceanfront properties.
At the July 28 Marshfield Select Board meeting, resident Peter Howard gave a detailed presentation outlining how the town’s 1976 removal of rocks from Sunrise Beach led to ongoing sand loss and beach degradation. He urged the board to push for permitting and funding to return rocks to the area as a form of coastal defense.
A Warning Rooted in History
Howard said the town removed cobble and smaller rocks from Sunrise Beach in the 1970s, citing documents and photographs he provided. The rocks were taken by Marshfield Sand and Gravel and crushed for use at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, he said.
As a result, Howard claims, “the beach has eroded to the point where there's nothing holding sand anymore,” adding that the area now lacks any kind of natural barrier to slow wave energy and protect the seawall. According to Howard, this erosion is leading to further sand loss and increased vulnerability of the seawall, especially with rising sea levels.
He shared photos showing how the beach’s elevation and structure have changed over time. “We used to have sandbars, tide pools, baby flounder… now it’s just flat,” Howard said. “The smartest thing is to put rocks back on the beach.”
Calls for Rock Replenishment
Howard is proposing the town consider placing cobbles or similar rocks back on Sunrise Beach, arguing they absorb wave energy better than sand and move naturally with tides and currents. He pointed to the recent $600,000 Salisbury Beach nourishment project, which used sand that washed away during a single storm.
“You can't just use sand,” he said. “If you use boulders, they will disappear over time—but they’ll do their job first.”
Howard added that he’s not asking for immediate large-scale construction, but for officials to advocate with state and federal partners and initiate a pilot project to test the effectiveness of the approach.
Permitting and Policy Challenges
Select Board members voiced support for Howard’s goals but acknowledged the regulatory hurdles involved. Department of Public Works Superintendent Sean Patterson said the biggest issue is permitting from agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
“We just can't go out there and put rocks on the beach,” Patterson said. “We can't even go on the beach without getting permission.”
Town Planner Greg Guimond agreed, noting that permitting can take years. “The biggest hurdle is the permits,” he said. “We can’t do anything without easements and signoffs from property owners.”
According to Guimond, a past effort to nourish the Sunrise and Fieldston beaches stalled when about 30 oceanfront property owners declined to sign required easements.
Next Steps and Continued Advocacy
Howard called on the board to apply political pressure on state and federal officials to speed up permitting and explore alternatives such as placing cobbles under an emergency declaration. He urged the town to at least begin a trial section.
“It’s only a matter of time before we lose this current sea wall,” he warned.
Board members said they would take the concerns seriously.
Howard thanked the board and town staff and said he would continue working with others to advocate for the project. “I really think you need to twist the arms of the government,” he said.
Next Steps and Continued Advocacy
Howard called on the board to apply political pressure on state and federal officials to speed up permitting and explore alternatives such as placing cobbles under an emergency declaration. He urged the town to at least begin a trial section.
“It’s only a matter of time before we lose this current sea wall,” he warned.
Board members said they would take the concerns seriously.
Howard thanked the board and town staff and said he would continue working with others to advocate for the project. “I really think you need to twist the arms of the government,” he said.