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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Carolina Beach reauthorization attempts underway

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Carolina Beach could soon lose its eligibility for federal dollars, leaving the state and local community to shoulder most of the cost, but efforts initiated by New Hanover County and the Army Corps of Engineers could keep the project in line for federal funds for an extra 15 years.

One of the oldest federally authorized coastal storm damage reduction, or renourishment, projects in the country, Carolina Beach’s original 50-year authorization expired December 2014. The 2014 Water Resources Reform & Development Act extended authorization for the Carolina Beach project through 2017 and provided an opportunity for the county and the Corps, as the project manager, to secure an additional 15-year extension.

Authorization qualifies coastal storm damage reduction projects for federal financial assistance. Historically, the federal government has covered 65 percent of the total cost, approximately $8 million, to renourish the beach strand every four years at Wrightsville Beach and every three years at Carolina and Kure beaches. The remaining 35 percent is split equally between state funding and local room occupancy tax collections.

With a 15-year extension, Carolina Beach would qualify to receive approximately $30 million in federal contributions for five renourishment projects through 2032.

Both the Corps and the county are working to follow all steps necessary to reauthorize the project before 2017 and ensure Carolina Beach remains eligible for federal assistance. Some details are still unknown, including who will ultimately grant the reauthorization, but an updated analysis of the project’s costs and benefits, assembled by the Corps in a limited reevaluation report, will be required.

The county is responsible for completing a supporting document for the reevaluation report. County shore protection coordinator Layton Bedsole requested permission from the New Hanover County Commissioners during a Feb. 16 meeting to initiate the process and search for a company qualified to complete a risk reduction plan for the Carolina Beach project, which will serve as an addendum to the report. The plan will detail local efforts, like vegetating dunes and maintaining emergency response capabilities, that mitigate potential risks to the community from storm events.

Commissioners unanimously approved the request, which vice-chair Beth Dawson said enables the county to stay ahead of the curve in efforts to reauthorize the Carolina Beach project.

“We do want to get ahead of this,” Bedsole said. “We don’t want to be the last piece of the puzzle for that limited reevaluation report.”

Once a qualified company or team is identified, Bedsole will come before commissioners again with a contract and a price for the work to be completed.

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