NEPTUNE, N.J. (AP) - A concept to rebuild the historic oyster reefs of Raritan Bay could funnel a share of $1 billion in federal money into creating living breakwaters that would reduce the wave force from future storms.

But New Jersey may not share that opportunity.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has been adamantly opposed to planting oysters in public waters of Raritan Bay, and that stance is unchanged, even with the evolving offer of money from post-Sandy storm reconstruction grants.

"It can be done. That's what's so frustrating. We can't even figure it out because we're not allowed to do the research on other sites," Meredith Comi told the Asbury Park Press (http://on.app.com/1fobkfA). She's the oyster-restoration coordinator with the NY/NJ Baykeeper nonprofit group based in Keyport.

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