With a string of February storms having taken big chunks out of many Jersey Shore beaches, New Jersey is considering doubling the amount of money it allocates to shore protection projects.

A bill increasing the state's Shore Protection Fund each year to $50 million was advanced Thursday by a Senate committee. The money comes from the collection of real estate transfer fees.

Bay Head mayor Bill Curtis said his town's beaches were wiped out by a storm last month, causing 18-foot drop-offs to the sand. He says the town can't afford to fix the damage on its own, and called a federal decision that last month's damage was insufficient to justify emergency repairs “ludicrous.”