Coastal issues played a prominent role in New Hanover County’s legislative priorities for 2015, laid out in a Jan. 30 meeting with state lawmakers and representatives of federal lawmakers.
Commissioner Rob Zapple opened the meeting with a request to representatives for Congressmen Walter Jones, R-N.C., and David Rouzer, R-N.C., to work for continued federal funding for coastal infrastructure projects like beach renourishment and inlet dredging.
Historically, the federal and state government assume most of the cost for the multi-million dollar coastal storm damage reduction, or renourishment, projects, which Zapple said protect coastal property and infrastructure and prop up the local tourism industry.
“The federal and state government’s financial participation, along with county and community support, in the past has formed a patchwork of funding that resulted in the creation of a successful program,” Zapple said.
Because the projects are federally authorized, the federal government has paid 65 percent of the total cost to regularly perform projects at Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure beaches.
An end to that arrangement is in sight for Carolina Beach, Zapple noted. One of the oldest federally authorized coastal storm damage reduction projects in the country, Carolina Beach’s 50-year authorization expired December 2014. Zapple credited former Congressman Mike McIntryre, D-N.C., for securing a three-year extension for the Carolina Beach project in the 2014 Water Resources Reform and Development Act, giving the county time to work internally and with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to analyze and establish the project’s success and secure an additional 15-year extension. He encouraged the representatives for Jones and Rouzer to guide or direct the process in Washington.
“The county commissioners and the citizens of New Hanover County would greatly appreciate all of your support for moving the review of this program through the bureaucratic process and for the eventual approval of a new 15-year agreement for financial support of coastal storm damage reduction for the town of Carolina Beach and New Hanover County,” Zapple said
Commissioner Skip Watkins called for efforts to ensure the state also continues to contribute to the projects.
The state currently pays 17.5 percent of the total cost of the county’s renourishment projects, but a state policy stipulates the money is only offered as matching funds for federal assistance. A portion of the county’s room occupancy tax collections known as the sand fund picks up the remaining 17.5 percent of the tab.
Zapple also thanked Rep. Ted Davis Jr., R-New Hanover, for securing legislation that earmarks previously unused room occupancy tax collected in the unincorporated areas of the county to help pay for dredging of Masons Inlet and Carolina Beach inlets.
Other issues for the state and federal legislative sessions included a boost to the state’s new film grant program, which replaced a 25 percent tax credit this year, and federal reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which county manager Chris Coudriet said secures health insurance for many North Carolina children.
Commissioner Woody White and Rep. Susi Hamilton, D-New Hanover, were unable to attend the meeting.
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