The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) has announced the allocation of more than $9.39 million to support five projects focused on beach and dune renourishment in coastal areas of the state.
Governor Josh Stein commented on the initiative, stating, “The coastline is one of our state’s natural treasures and serves as the livelihood of many communities in eastern North Carolina. These grants will help preserve our state’s beauty, protect people’s livelihoods, and keep communities safe.”
The projects receiving funding from the Coastal Storm Damage Mitigation Fund include:
– Dare County: Buxton nourishment, $3.6 million
– Town of Oak Island: Beach nourishment, $3 million
– Dare County: Avon Beach nourishment, $2 million
– Carteret County: Bogue Banks 2025-2026 beach nourishment design, $663,537
– Currituck County: Beach management plan, $120,568
Following a call for applications from coastal communities, DWR received five submissions and awarded funding to all applicants. Local governments are supplementing these grants with more than $44 million in additional funds.
DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson emphasized the importance of these efforts. “This funding will help coastal communities protect natural resources that are essential to their quality of life and economies,” he said. “By restoring beaches and dunes, the projects will also make these communities more resilient to future storms.”
Applications were evaluated based on six criteria: environmental benefits, social benefits, economic benefits, project lifespan, financial resources available, and project efficiency. Additional information about these criteria can be found in guidelines published by the department on its website.
Funding for DWR’s Coastal Storm Damage Mitigation Fund comes from appropriations made by the North Carolina General Assembly through Session Law 2023-134. The fund supports costs related to beach nourishment projects and other efforts aimed at reducing or repairing damage caused by coastal storms along ocean beaches and dune systems in North Carolina. More details are available in General Statute 143-215.73M and administrative code 15A NCAC 01T.0300.
For those seeking further information regarding the application process or grant opportunities related to storm damage mitigation for beaches and dunes in North Carolina, contact Kevin Hart at 919-707-3607 or via email at Kevin.Hart@deq.nc.gov.
