Beach News
Overview
Beach News is a courtesy service provided by the Carteret County Shore Protection Office that furnishes on-line news relevant to the beaches of North Carolina with special emphasis to Carteret County. Please visit http://www.carteretcountync.gov/list.aspx if you wish to be added to or removed from the "Beach News" distribution list. Recent "Beach News" is provided below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
BEACH NEWS for 2021
4/12/2021
LIBERTY ISLAND & ELLIS ISLAND CONTINUE AT LINE 4 (RHETT STREET) HEADING WEST AND AT 14th STREET (LINE 5) HEADING EAST TOWARDS THE LOWER NUMBERED STREETS, RESPECTIVELY.
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Owners say a court bar on condemnations could end suits (SC)
https://coastalobserver.com/owners-say-a-court-bar-on-condemndations-could-end-suits/
Hovey plans to appeal ruling on Duck beach access
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/04/09/hovey-plans-to-appeal-ruling-on-duck-beach-access/
Corridor in place to access Cape Point due to oystercatcher breeding
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/04/12/corridor-in-place-to-access-cape-point-due-to-oystercatcher-breeding/
4/8/2021
SPRING BREAK WEEKEND UPDATE - WORK AT LINE 3 ALMOST COMPLETE. LIBERTY ISLAND NOW AT LINE 4 (RHETT STREET) HEADING WEST. ELLIS ISLAND TO BE MOBILIZED TO LINE 5 LATER TODAY AT 14th STREET HEADING EAST TOWARDS THE LOWER NUMBERED STREETS – “BERM ONLY”.
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Appeals Court rules Duck beach access is private
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/04/07/appeals-court-rules-duck-beach-access-is-private/
Oak Island sand assessment districts spark concerns
https://stateportpilot.com/news/article_fc4edfa4-97ce-11eb-8161-4f9fbc50c124.html
Oak Island residents speak out against beach nourishment fee proposal
https://www.wwaytv3.com/2021/04/06/oak-island-residents-speak-out-against-beach-nourishment-fee-proposal/
Cedar Island, Swan Quarter ferry routes suspended due to shoaling
https://ocracokeobserver.com/2021/04/07/cedar-island-swan-quarter-ferry-routes-suspended-due-to-shoaling/
Dare County takes another step towards an Avon Beach Nourishment Project
https://islandfreepress.org/outer-banks-news/dare-county-takes-another-step-towards-an-avon-beach-nourishment-project/
4/5/2021
SPRING BREAK WEEK UPDATE – LIBERTY ISLAND STARTS AT 14th STREET (LINE 5), ELLIS ISLAND TO FINISH WITH LINE 3 THIS WEEK AND MOVE TO LINE 4 AT RHETT STREET ON OR ABOUT APRIL 10th
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
The Debate Over Avon Beach Nourishment
https://islandfreepress.org/blog/editors-blog-the-debate-over-avon-beach-nourishment/
U.S. rolls out first update to flood insurance pricing in 50 years
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fema-floodinsurance-idUSKBN2BO6SB
Millions to see rate hikes under new flood insurance plan
Thomas Frank, E&E News, April 2, 2021
More than 1 million people who buy flood insurance from the federal government will see their premiums drop next year under a new system that will end decades of overpayments by making insurance rates more accurately reflect a property's flood risk, officials said yesterday. At the same time, premiums charged by the National Flood Insurance Program will rise sharply for about 200,000 policyholders, many of whom own expensive homes in high-risk flood zones and have been paying too little, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said. The vast majority of NFIP policyholders — roughly 3.7 million people — will see moderate rate increases, according to FEMA projections released yesterday. "This will address inequity that has built up over time and must be corrected," said David Maurstad, who runs the flood insurance program for FEMA. "Property owners with lower-value homes are paying more than they should, and those with higher-value homes are paying less." Many owners of lower-valued homes have been "paying way more than their fair share," Maurstad added.
The NFIP is the nation's main provider of flood insurance, which is not included in standard homeowners' insurance policies. It insures 5 million properties, mostly along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The overhaul in FEMA's flood insurance rates could generate opposition from some lawmakers, particularly those from the Northeast, where a large number of people will see rate hikes. A 2019 bill by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is now the Senate majority leader, would have barred FEMA from raising anyone's insurance rate by more than 9% a year.
New York and New Jersey will be two of the hardest-hit states under FEMA's new system. In New York, 14% of the state's NFIP policyholders will see their premiums increase by at least $120 a year, according to FEMA projections. In New Jersey, 15% of the policyholders will see premiums rise by $120 a year or more. "FEMA shouldn't be rushing to overhaul their process and risk dramatically increasing premiums on middle-class and working-class families without first consulting with Congress and the communities at greatest risk to the effects of climate change," Schumer spokesperson Alex Nguyen said in a recent statement. "Congress and the Biden administration must work together in a collaborative and transparent process."
By contrast, the percentage of policyholders facing at least a $120-a-year increase is 7% in Texas, 9% in Alabama and North Carolina, and 10% in Louisiana. In Florida, where more people buy NFIP coverage than any other state, 12% of the state's policyholders will see a rate increase of at least $120 a year. Some policyholders will face the annual rate hikes for only a few years, while others who have been paying too little for insurance for a long time will see rate hikes for a decade or longer. The new rates will begin to take effect next April for people who are renewing policies. For new policyholders, the new premiums will take effect in October. FEMA's announcement yesterday drew praise from environmental advocates. "This isn't just a minor improvement but a quantitative and qualitative leap forward in more accurately pricing risk," said Forbes Tompkins, head of the Pew Charitable Trusts' resilient infrastructure program.
Shana Udvardy, a climate resilience analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said FEMA's new insurance rates "could go a long way in helping homeowners better understand their risk, ensuring they can make informed decisions to protect themselves and their property." The new insurance rates are the result of a yearslong process FEMA has undertaken to refine its analysis of flood risk. Under the new system, called Risk Rating 2.0, FEMA uses the latest technology and data to estimate both the risk of an individual home being flooded and the cost to replace each home. For decades, FEMA has used a crude analysis that puts homes into large geographic groupings and charges the owners the same insurance premium, ignoring distinctions that make some of the homes riskier than others. "It's like going from a standard-definition TV to HD-quality resolution," Tompkins said. Incorporating replacement costs into insurance premiums would result in generally higher rates in regions such as the Northeast and the West Coast, where labor and materials are more expensive than in the rest of the country.
Maurstad of FEMA said he expects the new pricing would increase the number of people who have flood insurance by making the rates fairer and easier for homeowners and insurance agents to understand. "It will result in greater value and trust in the program. As a result, folks that maybe didn't think they were at much of a risk of flooding will now know that they are, and it will be harder for them to ignore it," Maurstad said during a news briefing yesterday. Federal law requires people to have flood insurance if they own a property that is located in a flood zone and is secured by a federally backed mortgage. But millions of people ignore the requirement, and in some cases face financial ruin when their homes are flooded and they have no insurance.
4/1/2021
EASTER WEEKEND UPDATE - ELLIS ISLAND TO FINISH WITH LINE 2 TODAY AND MOVE TO LINE 4 ON FRIDAY, LIBERTY ISLAND TO REFUEL.
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pushes back against dredging plan criticism
N. Topsail Beach Eyes Shoreline Options
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/04/53921/
Cost of beach renourishment could double resident property taxes
https://wcti12.com/news/local/property-taxes-may-double-for-residents
Shallowbag Bay Dredging Work Complete
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/03/53908/
McElraft’s conservation, nourishment funding bill gains bipartisan support in legislature
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_bb2ac0da-90ab-11eb-bdea-5f321e399f56.html
PUBLIC NOTICE – The Wilmington District, Corps of Engineers (Corps) received an application from the Town of Kitty Hawk seeking Department of the Army authorization to dredge 2.282 million cubic yards of beach quality sediments from an offshore borrow source, and deposit the material along approximately 3.77-mile section of oceanfront shoreline, in the Town of Kitty Hawk, Dare County, North Carolina.
https://saw-reg.usace.army.mil/PN/2021/SAW-2021-00568-PN.pdf
3/29/2021
ELLIS ISLAND TO FINISH WITH LINE 2 LATER THIS WEEK AND MOVE TO LINE 4, LIBERTY ISLAND FILL HEADING EAST FROM LINE 3.
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Summertime dredging in Georgia threatens sea turtles; Corps allowed to kill 214 loggerheads
https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2021/03/26/dredging-georgia-threatens-sea-turtles-summer-right-whales-winter/4704913001/
Corps will move forward while town seeks beach easements (SC)
https://coastalobserver.com/corps-will-move-forward-while-town-seeks-beach-easements/
A town-county conflict could halt North Topsail's beach renourishment project
https://www.witn.com/2021/03/26/a-town-county-conflict-could-halt-north-topsails-beach-renourishment-project/
Hope emerges in quest to fund beach projects after federal fallout, still no guarantee
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2021/03/25/hope-emerges-in-quest-to-fund-beach-projects-after-federal-fallout-still-no-guarantee/
Cedar Point contributes $2,500 to Bogue Inlet dredging
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_96d57bd4-8d87-11eb-aa76-23a651652510.html
NPS releases Sediment Management Framework Final Environmental Impact Statement for Cape Hatteras National Seashore
3/25/2021
PIPE FLIPPED AND UNDER THE PIER; BEACHFILL HEADING TOWARDS EACH OTHER. NEW PHOTOS.
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Surf City offering $250 visitor parking passes to help offset costs of beach nourishment
https://www.witn.com/2021/03/24/surf-city-offering-250-visitor-parking-passes-to-help-offset-costs-of-beach-nourishment/
3/24/2021
PROJECT COMPLETE! (3/17/2021)
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
To fight extreme erosion, North Topsail Beach asks for jetty-like structure
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2021/03/22/to-fight-extreme-erosion-north-topsail-beach-asks-for-jetty-like-structure/
SC Supreme Court mulls danger of future erosion and development of Captain Sam’s Spit
Dredging begins in Big Foot and Hatteras Inlet
https://ocracokeobserver.com/2021/03/23/dredging-begins-in-big-foot-on-hold-in-hatteras-inlet/
Dare okays $60K to sustain Hatteras Inlet dredging
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/03/22/dare-okays-60k-to-sustain-hatteras-inlet-dredging/
3/22/2021
ELLIS ISLAND & LIBERTY ISLAND PRODUCING. READY TO FLIP THE PIPE TOMORROW AT THE PIER.
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
At Southern Shores public hearing, concerns about beach nourishment taxes
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/03/17/at-southern-shores-public-hearing-concerns-about-beach-nourishment-taxes/
Holden Beach Awarded $15.49 Million to Renourish Beaches Damaged by Hurricane Dorian
https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/537098448/holden-beach-awarded-15-49-million-to-renourish-beaches-damaged-by-hurricane-dorian
A new hope to boost the Outer Banks fishing industry to new heights
https://www.pilotonline.com/news/vp-nw-new-dredge-20210320-pycn5w2wargv5otcrp7btwrvyq-story.html
Dare commissioners discuss dredging
https://www.pilotonline.com/news/vp-nw-new-dredge-20210320-pycn5w2wargv5otcrp7btwrvyq-story.html
3/17/2021
PUMPING ON TWO LINES W/ THE ELLIS ISLAND & LIBERTY ISLAND BEFORE ROUGH SEAS HIT
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Avon beachfront property owners facing 62% property tax hike to pay for beach widening
https://www.pilotonline.com/news/vp-nw-avon-tax-20210316-ro4phf3aufaflbjs57ioqjjfl4-story.html
3/16/2021
Here’s ‘Miss Katie,’ the new dredge due in ’22
htt
ps://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/03/16/heres-miss-katie-the-new-dredge-due-in-22/ Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
Hatteras Inlet still clogged, dredging efforts hampered by tides
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/03/16/hatteras-inlet-still-clogged-dredging-efforts-hampered-by-tides/
Dare Board advances Avon beach nourishment project
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/03/15/dare-board-advances-avon-beach-nourishment-project/
3/15/2021
TWO DREDGES – TWO DISCRETE NOURISHMENT AREAS. ELLIS ISLAND TO ARRIVE TOMORROW
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Scoping Meeting - North Topsail New River Inlet Management Master Plan
https://saw-reg.usace.army.mil/PN/2021/SAW-2016-02091-PN.pdf
Avon Beach Nourishment Tax will be discussed at Monday’s Board of Commissioners Meeting
https://islandfreepress.org/outer-banks-news/reminder-avon-beach-nourishment-tax-will-be-discussed-at-mondays-board-of-commissioners-meeting/
Big flood insurance rate changes are coming to NC. Will they be fair?
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/article249899613.html
3/12/2021
Murphy Says Jetties Needed at Oregon Inlet
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/03/murphy-says-jetties-needed-at-oregon-inlet/
Bogue Inlet dredging set for spring; Cape Carteret pitches in money
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_e96bd68c-80f7-11eb-827b-03663800f44b.html
Avon Beach Nourishment Tax to be discussed at Monday’s Board of Commissioners Meeting
https://islandfreepress.org/outer-banks-news/avon-beach-nourishment-tax-to-be-discussed-at-mondays-board-of-commissioners-meeting/
Dredging in Hatteras Inlet has had little progress, per Waterways Commission Meeting
River, inlet dredging restores area beaches
https://stateportpilot.com/news/article_195d9698-81af-11eb-962d-ffd33ce5f40f.html
Service district plan advances; house hearing delayed
https://stateportpilot.com/news/article_13eca612-81b0-11eb-bbe9-178f174fc5ec.html
Funding Nourishment Projects Locally, Southern Shores Proposal Nails It!
3/10/2021
DRONE VIDEO, REACH 1 (Far West Emerald Isle) COMPLETE, CENTRAL EMERALD ISLE REACH STARTED.
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
DRONE VIDEO. NOURISHMENT CONTINUES TO PROGRESS WEST OF OCEANANA PIER.
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
3/8/2021
REACH 1 (Far West Emerald Isle) ALMOST COMPLETE, SHOULD START ON "LINE 2" TOMORROW
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Southern Shores public hearing March 16 on property tax districts to pay for beach nourishment
https://www.obxtoday.com/southern-shores-public-hearing-march-16-on-property-tax-districts-to-pay-for-beach-nourishment/
Council To Consider Hiring Law Firm To Communicate With Federal Officials
http://www.islandgazette.net/news-18/index.php/top-stories/item/9418-council-to-consider-hiring-law-firm-to-communicate-with-federal-officials
Wilmington-area beach projects lose federal funding
https://www.jdnews.com/story/news/2021/03/08/federal-funding-disappears-new-hanover-county-beach-nourishment-projects/4599469001/
In Kitty Hawk, a debate over a beach access
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/03/05/in-kitty-hawk-a-debate-over-a-beach-access/
Behre: If this is what ‘perimeter protection’ looks like, let’s have more please
3/3/2021
GOOD FIRST WEEK OF PRODUCTIVITY, COULD "FLIP THE PIPE" TODAY IN REACH 1
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
NOURISHMENT PROGRESSES WEST OF OCEANANA PIER
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
Chesapeake Bay beaches battered by recent storms will be replenished
https://www.pilotonline.com/news/environment/vp-nw-cape-henry-beach-erosion-0226-20210226-bwusrq3b2fefhk4je3wd2odmxy-story.html
Homes flooded as Intracoastal Waterway still rising near Myrtle Beach
https://www.cbs17.com/news/south/homes-flooded-as-intracoastal-waterway-still-rising-near-myrtle-beach/
2/27/2021
PROJECT START!!! (2/26/2021) w/ THE LIBERTY ISLAND
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Additional Details and Lots of Questions Arise at Avon Beach Nourishment Public Meeting
https://islandfreepress.org/outer-banks-news/additional-details-and-lots-of-questions-arise-at-avon-beach-nourishment-public-meeting/
Outten stresses need for Avon beach project
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/02/25/outten-stresses-need-for-avon-beach-project/
Ferry channel, creek dredging proceeds, but residents voice concerns about street damage from heavy equipment
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_4b9f6f7c-784b-11eb-87ef-f70c3f496dca.html
2/25/2021
JS CHATRY BACK IN RANGE A AFTER MOORED IN THE HARBOR FOR SEA CONDITIONS. ROUGHLY 700 LINEAR FEET TO GO ON THE BEACH BEFORE JUMPING TO THE WEST SIDE OF OCEANANA PIER
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
Dare commissioners support amending Hatteras Inlet’s federal authorization
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/02/25/dare-commissioners-support-amending-hatteras-inlets-federal-authorization/
Scramble On For New Hanover Sand Money
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/02/scramble-on-for-new-hanover-sand-money/
Proposed Avon Beach Nourishment Tax Lowered from 40/10 Cents to 25/5 Cents
https://islandfreepress.org/outer-banks-news/proposed-avon-beach-nourishment-tax-lowered/
2/24/2021
LIBERTY ISLAND ARRIVED MONDAY – REPAIRS UNDERWAY – PROJECT START PLANNED FOR TOMORROW
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Beach towns scramble to find federal funds after beach nourishment money disappears
https://portcitydaily.com/new-hanover-county/2021/02/22/beach-towns-scramble-to-find-federal-funds-after-beach-nourishment-money-disappears/
Avon Beach Nourishment FAQs – What to Know Ahead of the Feb. 24 Public Meeting
https://islandfreepress.org/outer-banks-news/avon-beach-nourishment-faqs-what-to-know-ahead-of-the-feb-24-public-meeting/
REMINDER: Meeting on Proposed Avon Beach Nourishment Project will be Held on Feb. 24
https://islandfreepress.org/outer-banks-news/avon-beach-nourishment-meeting-on-feb-24/
A $1.4 billion Army Corps plan to protect Charleston from hurricane surge changes
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/a-1-4-billion-army-corps-plan-to-protect-charleston-from-hurricane-surge-changes/article_e1c4e8f8-722c-11eb-b56c-db6024475ca1.html
2/17/2021
LIBERTY ISLAND ALL SET TO ARRIVE AND LIKELY START ON FEBRUARY 21, 2021
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
BEACHFILL APPROACHING DUNES CLUB. JS CHATRY TO BE BACK IN ACTION SOON
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
Nags Head to move forward with beach renourishment project planned for 2022
https://www.obxtoday.com/top-stories/nags-head-to-move-forward-with-beach-renourishment-project-planned-for-2022/
Southern Shores moves closer to adopting municipal service districts to fund beach nourishment
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/02/13/southern-shores-moves-closer-to-adopting-municipal-service-districts-to-fund-beach-nourishment/
Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Inlet badly shoaled, dredging coming this month
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/02/16/oregon-inlet-and-hatteras-inlet-badly-shoaled-dredging-coming-this-month/
2/10/2021
SAME SCHEDULE. NEW PLANTING, SAND FENCING, AND POST & ROPE NOTES. NEW PSA AND SAND FENCING FACT SHEET!
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
RANGE B COMPLETED; BEACHFILL CONTINUES ADVANCING WEST.
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
2/9/2021
Carteret County Beach Commission February Meeting Agenda
February 16, 2021; 14:00
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02162021-1196
Managing dredge material review at Dare’s waterways commission
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/02/04/managing-dredge-material-review-at-dares-waterways-commission/
Bills Would Clear Way for Terminal Groins
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/02/bills-would-clear-way-for-terminal-groins/
2/4/2021
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
NOURISHMENT PROGRESSES WEST OF OCEANANA PIER
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
BEACHFILL APPROACHING DUNES CLUB. JS CHATRY TO BE BACK IN ACTION SOON
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
Nags Head to move forward with beach renourishment project planned for 2022
https://www.obxtoday.com/top-stories/nags-head-to-move-forward-with-beach-renourishment-project-planned-for-2022/
Southern Shores moves closer to adopting municipal service districts to fund beach nourishment
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/02/13/southern-shores-moves-closer-to-adopting-municipal-service-districts-to-fund-beach-nourishment/
Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Inlet badly shoaled, dredging coming this month
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/02/16/oregon-inlet-and-hatteras-inlet-badly-shoaled-dredging-coming-this-month/
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
RANGE B COMPLETED; BEACHFILL CONTINUES ADVANCING WEST.
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
GETTING EVERYTHING SET FOR THE FEBRAURY 20th.
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
WORK ON THE OUTSIDE/WORK ON THE INSIDE (1/3 Complete)
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
North Topsail OK’d for Dune Restoration
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/02/north-topsail-okd-for-dune-restoration/
Dare County to host meeting on Avon beach project
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/02/04/dare-county-to-host-meeting-on-avon-beach-project/
2/3/2021
Avon Beach Nourishment, the Future of N.C. 12, and New Dredge Highlighted in State of the County 2021 Presentation
https://islandfreepress.org/outer-banks-news/avon-beach-nourishment-the-future-of-n-c-12-new-dredge-highlighted-in-state-of-the-county-2021-presentation/
To rebuild beaches, Outer Banks will spend $99M in one year
https://greensboro.com/news/state-and-regional/to-rebuild-beaches-outer-banks-expects-to-spend-99m-in-1-year/article_64788f3a-d484-5629-8bbc-63cd4a52492e.html
SCDOT tells Isle of Palms to restore beach parking, rolls back prior approval
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/scdot-tells-isle-of-palms-to-restore-beach-parking-rolls-back-prior-approval/article_ba749e94-64e2-11eb-afcc-ef29d374ed0b.html
Congressman Murphy: Additional dredging for Silver Lake Harbor
https://www.dredgingtoday.com/2021/02/02/congressman-murphy-additional-dredging-for-silver-lake-harbor/
1/27/2021
2nd SUBMERGED PIPELINE LANDING SET IN REACH 3; START DATE PUSHED BACK TO ROUGHLY FEBRUARY 20th
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
NICE PROGRESS
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
State agrees to allow year-round dredging at ports
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_1bc7c44e-5f63-11eb-a3f8-03acaca4a7b3.html
Funding for Wilmington-area beach nourishment disappears at last minute; local leaders shocked
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2021/01/25/funding-for-wilmington-area-beach-nourishment-disappears-at-last-minute-local-leaders-shocked/
SC Statehouse Beach Fight: Should Towns Have Free Parking?
https://apnews.com/article/transportation-public-access-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-20d139595343190ea580ae7cddf97e28
1/25/2021
Town Of Carolina Beach Working Towards Restarting Lake Dredge Project
http://www.islandgazette.net/news-18/index.php/top-stories/item/9390-town-of-carolina-beach-working-towards-restarting-lake-dredge-project
Waterways Commission tackles dredge material disposal
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/01/23/waterways-commission-tackles-dredge-material-disposal/
Southeastern NC beaches take measures to preserve dunes every year, here's one way
https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2021/01/23/oak-island-beach-dunes-preserved-christmas-trees/6661513002/
Biden quietly reinstates national flood standard
Thomas Frank, E&E News reporter, January 25, 2021
President Biden's reinstatement of a flood-protection policy that President Trump had revoked is cheering climate advocates and signaling that the new administration will move to strengthen the nation's resilience to natural disasters. Biden revived an Obama-era executive order that had sought to require all new federally funded projects located in flood zones — including roads, housing and public works — to be built to withstand flooding under scenarios that incorporate the effects of climate change. Reinstating President Obama's Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, which Trump revoked in 2017 before agencies could implement it, became a priority for environmental and conservation groups after Biden's election.
"This is an extremely promising step in the right direction to getting the country to have a mindset that systematically incorporates resilience to future flooding," said Forbes Tompkins, head of the Pew Charitable Trusts' resilient infrastructure program. Rob Moore of the Natural Resources Defense Council called Biden's move last week "the first step toward the federal government getting out of the business of subsidizing development in low-lying flood-prone areas." "This applies to every federally financed project and therefore affects tens of billions if not hundreds of billions of dollars in federal infrastructure and housing," Moore added.
Biden's reinstatement of the flood policy could take several years to implement. It is expected to draw opposition from powerful groups such as homebuilders, building contractors and the fossil fuel industry, all of which could try to minimize the policy's scope. The Biden administration will have to issue guidance on the policy to federal agencies, which will have to follow a rulemaking process that can take years. "It's not as simple as flipping a switch," said Alice Hill, who worked on the Obama executive order as a member of the National Security Council in the early 2010s. "We're a long way off from seeing a home elevated as a result of President Biden's action."
The policy is likely to increase construction costs by requiring new buildings and facilities to be elevated 2 to 3 feet above projected flood levels or to have flood protection that is equivalent to the elevation. Groups including the National Association of Home Builders, National Multifamily Housing Council and National Council of State Housing Agencies had cited costs in opposing the Obama order several years ago. Supporters say the flood-protection measures will save money in the long term by making facilities more resilient and less likely to be damaged by flooding. "Yes, there could be upfront costs," Tompkins said. "But the return on investment far exceeds those costs." The heightened flood-protection standards will apply to a vast range of federally funded new construction: housing subsidized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, water and sewer plants funded by EPA, roads and bridges financed by the Department of Transportation, and local infrastructure rebuilt with Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster funds. "This will reduce flood risk in the United States," said Hill, the former Obama official, who is now a senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations. "Homes will be elevated, schools will be elevated, hospitals will be elevated if they rely on federal money. That will reduce federal money spent on disaster recovery."
Agencies such as the Defense Department and some states and cities have already adopted flood-protection standards for new construction that are similar to what the Biden policy will require, said Tompkins of Pew. "In some ways, this is a long overdue step by the federal government to catch up to what a lot of states and localities are doing," he said. "It's also a great motivator for those that have yet to adopt similar standards or think about resilience. This almost incentivizes them to start doing so." Noting that Biden's flood policy could be reversed by a future president, Tompkins said, "What's critically needed is to pass a federal flood standard through legislation."
Biden's reinstatement of the flood policy was one of his first official acts after taking office Wednesday. But the action, described in a single paragraph near the bottom of a 3,400-word executive order on public health and the environment, was overlooked until Friday when observers began scrutinizing the document. The phrasing confused many experts, including Craig Fugate, who ran FEMA for nearly eight years in the Obama administration and wondered on Twitter on Friday whether Biden's executive order had revived the flood standard. Rather than saying directly that the flood policy was in effect, the order revoked Trump's 2017 revocation of the original Obama flood policy. A White House official confirmed to E&E News that Biden's action reinstated the flood policy. Biden's order directs the director of the Office of Management and Budget and the head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality to "jointly consider whether to recommend that a replacement order be issued." "There'll be a lot more work. It's a complex issue," Hill said.
The Obama flood policy grew out of a study of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, which urged the creation of a national flood standard "in recognition that flood conditions were changing and climate change was bringing more flooding," Hill said. After Obama announced the policy in an executive order in January 2015, agencies including FEMA, HUD, EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers drafted rules to implement the flood standard. None of the agencies had finalized their rules by the time Trump revoked Obama's order in August 2017, which forced them to withdraw their proposed rules. During the recent presidential transition, groups such as Pew and NRDC had urged the incoming Biden administration to reinstate the flood standard, saying it would be an easy and effective way to strengthen the nation's resilience to flood damage. "The fact that we're at the beginning of a presidential transition period is great for getting this decision made," said Moore of NRDC.
1/22/2021
BACK IN ACTION, VERY CLOSE TO ENTERING ATLANTIC BEACH (new photos)
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
Agreement OKs Year-Round Ports Dredging
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/01/agreement-oks-year-round-ports-dredging/
What you need to know about Charleston’s $2 billion storm surge project
https://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/story/a-2-billion-storm-surge-project-is-poised-to-change-charleston-forever-heres-what-you-need-to-know
Judge upholds state permit for DeBordieu groins (SC)
https://coastalobserver.com/judge-upholds-state-permit-for-debordieu-groins/
1/20/2021
1st SUBMERGED PIPELINE SET; PHOTOS; FEBRAURY 12th CONTINUES TO BE THE START DATE
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Old Ferry Channel dredging underway, Emerald Isle beach project delayed
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_4efccee8-59b6-11eb-a258-efda33aee324.html
Court rules in favor of DeBordieu Colony's beach nourishment plan (SC)
https://wpde.com/news/local/court-rules-in-favor-of-debordieu-colonys-beach-nourishment-plan
1/18/2021
PAUSE IN OPERATIONS
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
Lawsuit seeks more protection for endangered right whales
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/01/15/lawsuit-seeks-more-protection-for-endangered-right-whales/
Judge rules for homeowners in beach easement suits (SC)
https://coastalobserver.com/judge-rules-for-homeowners-in-beach-easement-suits/
Feds seek to add marsh and undeveloped islands near Folly to protection program (SC)
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/feds-seek-to-add-marsh-and-undeveloped-islands-near-folly-to-protection-program/article_e27020ce-5440-11eb-8068-27250e0a7589.html
Emerald Isle concurs with decision to reject federal beach nourishment plan
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_d5fe7dbe-574b-11eb-9903-17bf004bc5cd.html
1/13/2021
MOBILIZATION SCHEDULE GENERALLY THE SAME, START DATE PUSHED TO FEBRAURY 12th
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Mount Pleasant leaders push back on Crab Bank renourishment location (SC)
https://www.live5news.com/2021/01/11/mount-pleasant-leaders-push-back-crab-bank-renourishment-location/
Atlantic Beach voices support for county’s existing beach master plan
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_1f5de806-5511-11eb-aacf-eb8d3d097fc4.html
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
1/11/2021
In Nags Head, questions on beach nourishment funds
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/01/08/in-nags-head-questions-over-beach-nourishment-funding/
Charleston needs to better plan how Army Corps wall fits into the city, consultant says
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/charleston-needs-to-better-plan-how-army-corps-wall-fits-into-the-city-consultant-says/article_29e52452-4075-11eb-a0f9-5ff80af41bfa.html
Federal spending bill makes way for local beach projects
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2021/01/07/federal-spending-bill-makes-way-for-local-beach-projects/
1/6/2021
LOOKING TO START THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Fort Macon, other locations accepting natural Christmas trees
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_553d74ae-4ea0-11eb-9123-0730df081566.html
Long-Term Plans Ahead for Shifting Sands
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/01/long-term-plans-ahead-for-shifting-sands/
1/2/2021
Beach nourishment decisions loom for Dare commissioners
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/01/01/beach-nourishment-decisions-loom-for-dare-commissioners/
North Topsail Beach homeowners reuse Christmas trees to build up dunes
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2020/12/29/north-topsail-beach-homeowners-reuse-christmas-trees-to-build-up-dunes/
The 2020 Battle Over SC Public Beach Access and Parking Ends the Year in a Draw
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/the-2020-battle-over-sc-public-beach-access-and-parking-ends-the-year-in-a/article_030c5b42-43a5-11eb-8829-7bc110d39758.html
North Topsail OK’d for Dune Restoration
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/02/north-topsail-okd-for-dune-restoration/
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/02/04/dare-county-to-host-meeting-on-avon-beach-project/
2/3/2021
Avon Beach Nourishment, the Future of N.C. 12, and New Dredge Highlighted in State of the County 2021 Presentation
https://islandfreepress.org/outer-banks-news/avon-beach-nourishment-the-future-of-n-c-12-new-dredge-highlighted-in-state-of-the-county-2021-presentation/
To rebuild beaches, Outer Banks will spend $99M in one year
https://greensboro.com/news/state-and-regional/to-rebuild-beaches-outer-banks-expects-to-spend-99m-in-1-year/article_64788f3a-d484-5629-8bbc-63cd4a52492e.html
SCDOT tells Isle of Palms to restore beach parking, rolls back prior approval
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/scdot-tells-isle-of-palms-to-restore-beach-parking-rolls-back-prior-approval/article_ba749e94-64e2-11eb-afcc-ef29d374ed0b.html
Congressman Murphy: Additional dredging for Silver Lake Harbor
https://www.dredgingtoday.com/2021/02/02/congressman-murphy-additional-dredging-for-silver-lake-harbor/
1/27/2021
2nd SUBMERGED PIPELINE LANDING SET IN REACH 3; START DATE PUSHED BACK TO ROUGHLY FEBRUARY 20th
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
NICE PROGRESS
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
State agrees to allow year-round dredging at ports
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_1bc7c44e-5f63-11eb-a3f8-03acaca4a7b3.html
Funding for Wilmington-area beach nourishment disappears at last minute; local leaders shocked
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2021/01/25/funding-for-wilmington-area-beach-nourishment-disappears-at-last-minute-local-leaders-shocked/
SC Statehouse Beach Fight: Should Towns Have Free Parking?
https://apnews.com/article/transportation-public-access-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-local-governments-20d139595343190ea580ae7cddf97e28
Town Of Carolina Beach Working Towards Restarting Lake Dredge Project
http://www.islandgazette.net/news-18/index.php/top-stories/item/9390-town-of-carolina-beach-working-towards-restarting-lake-dredge-project
Waterways Commission tackles dredge material disposal
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/01/23/waterways-commission-tackles-dredge-material-disposal/
Southeastern NC beaches take measures to preserve dunes every year, here's one way
https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2021/01/23/oak-island-beach-dunes-preserved-christmas-trees/6661513002/
Biden quietly reinstates national flood standard
Thomas Frank, E&E News reporter, January 25, 2021
President Biden's reinstatement of a flood-protection policy that President Trump had revoked is cheering climate advocates and signaling that the new administration will move to strengthen the nation's resilience to natural disasters. Biden revived an Obama-era executive order that had sought to require all new federally funded projects located in flood zones — including roads, housing and public works — to be built to withstand flooding under scenarios that incorporate the effects of climate change. Reinstating President Obama's Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, which Trump revoked in 2017 before agencies could implement it, became a priority for environmental and conservation groups after Biden's election.
"This is an extremely promising step in the right direction to getting the country to have a mindset that systematically incorporates resilience to future flooding," said Forbes Tompkins, head of the Pew Charitable Trusts' resilient infrastructure program. Rob Moore of the Natural Resources Defense Council called Biden's move last week "the first step toward the federal government getting out of the business of subsidizing development in low-lying flood-prone areas." "This applies to every federally financed project and therefore affects tens of billions if not hundreds of billions of dollars in federal infrastructure and housing," Moore added.
Biden's reinstatement of the flood policy could take several years to implement. It is expected to draw opposition from powerful groups such as homebuilders, building contractors and the fossil fuel industry, all of which could try to minimize the policy's scope. The Biden administration will have to issue guidance on the policy to federal agencies, which will have to follow a rulemaking process that can take years. "It's not as simple as flipping a switch," said Alice Hill, who worked on the Obama executive order as a member of the National Security Council in the early 2010s. "We're a long way off from seeing a home elevated as a result of President Biden's action."
The policy is likely to increase construction costs by requiring new buildings and facilities to be elevated 2 to 3 feet above projected flood levels or to have flood protection that is equivalent to the elevation. Groups including the National Association of Home Builders, National Multifamily Housing Council and National Council of State Housing Agencies had cited costs in opposing the Obama order several years ago. Supporters say the flood-protection measures will save money in the long term by making facilities more resilient and less likely to be damaged by flooding. "Yes, there could be upfront costs," Tompkins said. "But the return on investment far exceeds those costs." The heightened flood-protection standards will apply to a vast range of federally funded new construction: housing subsidized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, water and sewer plants funded by EPA, roads and bridges financed by the Department of Transportation, and local infrastructure rebuilt with Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster funds. "This will reduce flood risk in the United States," said Hill, the former Obama official, who is now a senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations. "Homes will be elevated, schools will be elevated, hospitals will be elevated if they rely on federal money. That will reduce federal money spent on disaster recovery."
Agencies such as the Defense Department and some states and cities have already adopted flood-protection standards for new construction that are similar to what the Biden policy will require, said Tompkins of Pew. "In some ways, this is a long overdue step by the federal government to catch up to what a lot of states and localities are doing," he said. "It's also a great motivator for those that have yet to adopt similar standards or think about resilience. This almost incentivizes them to start doing so." Noting that Biden's flood policy could be reversed by a future president, Tompkins said, "What's critically needed is to pass a federal flood standard through legislation."
Biden's reinstatement of the flood policy was one of his first official acts after taking office Wednesday. But the action, described in a single paragraph near the bottom of a 3,400-word executive order on public health and the environment, was overlooked until Friday when observers began scrutinizing the document. The phrasing confused many experts, including Craig Fugate, who ran FEMA for nearly eight years in the Obama administration and wondered on Twitter on Friday whether Biden's executive order had revived the flood standard. Rather than saying directly that the flood policy was in effect, the order revoked Trump's 2017 revocation of the original Obama flood policy. A White House official confirmed to E&E News that Biden's action reinstated the flood policy. Biden's order directs the director of the Office of Management and Budget and the head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality to "jointly consider whether to recommend that a replacement order be issued." "There'll be a lot more work. It's a complex issue," Hill said.
The Obama flood policy grew out of a study of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, which urged the creation of a national flood standard "in recognition that flood conditions were changing and climate change was bringing more flooding," Hill said. After Obama announced the policy in an executive order in January 2015, agencies including FEMA, HUD, EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers drafted rules to implement the flood standard. None of the agencies had finalized their rules by the time Trump revoked Obama's order in August 2017, which forced them to withdraw their proposed rules. During the recent presidential transition, groups such as Pew and NRDC had urged the incoming Biden administration to reinstate the flood standard, saying it would be an easy and effective way to strengthen the nation's resilience to flood damage. "The fact that we're at the beginning of a presidential transition period is great for getting this decision made," said Moore of NRDC.
BACK IN ACTION, VERY CLOSE TO ENTERING ATLANTIC BEACH (new photos)
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
Agreement OKs Year-Round Ports Dredging
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/01/agreement-oks-year-round-ports-dredging/
What you need to know about Charleston’s $2 billion storm surge project
https://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/story/a-2-billion-storm-surge-project-is-poised-to-change-charleston-forever-heres-what-you-need-to-know
Judge upholds state permit for DeBordieu groins (SC)
https://coastalobserver.com/judge-upholds-state-permit-for-debordieu-groins/
1st SUBMERGED PIPELINE SET; PHOTOS; FEBRAURY 12th CONTINUES TO BE THE START DATE
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Old Ferry Channel dredging underway, Emerald Isle beach project delayed
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_4efccee8-59b6-11eb-a258-efda33aee324.html
Court rules in favor of DeBordieu Colony's beach nourishment plan (SC)
https://wpde.com/news/local/court-rules-in-favor-of-debordieu-colonys-beach-nourishment-plan
PAUSE IN OPERATIONS
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach Nourishment
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
Lawsuit seeks more protection for endangered right whales
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/01/15/lawsuit-seeks-more-protection-for-endangered-right-whales/
Judge rules for homeowners in beach easement suits (SC)
https://coastalobserver.com/judge-rules-for-homeowners-in-beach-easement-suits/
Feds seek to add marsh and undeveloped islands near Folly to protection program (SC)
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/feds-seek-to-add-marsh-and-undeveloped-islands-near-folly-to-protection-program/article_e27020ce-5440-11eb-8068-27250e0a7589.html
Emerald Isle concurs with decision to reject federal beach nourishment plan
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_d5fe7dbe-574b-11eb-9903-17bf004bc5cd.html
MOBILIZATION SCHEDULE GENERALLY THE SAME, START DATE PUSHED TO FEBRAURY 12th
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
Mount Pleasant leaders push back on Crab Bank renourishment location (SC)
https://www.live5news.com/2021/01/11/mount-pleasant-leaders-push-back-crab-bank-renourishment-location/
Atlantic Beach voices support for county’s existing beach master plan
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_1f5de806-5511-11eb-aacf-eb8d3d097fc4.html
1/12/2021
PROJECT START!
Morehead City Harbor Dredging – Ft. Macon/Atlantic Beach NourishmentPROJECT START!
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/826/
In Nags Head, questions on beach nourishment funds
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/01/08/in-nags-head-questions-over-beach-nourishment-funding/
Charleston needs to better plan how Army Corps wall fits into the city, consultant says
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/charleston-needs-to-better-plan-how-army-corps-wall-fits-into-the-city-consultant-says/article_29e52452-4075-11eb-a0f9-5ff80af41bfa.html
Federal spending bill makes way for local beach projects
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2021/01/07/federal-spending-bill-makes-way-for-local-beach-projects/
LOOKING TO START THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY
Post-Florence Renourishment Project (Phase III)
http://www.carteretcountync.gov/827/
https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_553d74ae-4ea0-11eb-9123-0730df081566.html
Long-Term Plans Ahead for Shifting Sands
https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/01/long-term-plans-ahead-for-shifting-sands/
Beach nourishment decisions loom for Dare commissioners
https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2021/01/01/beach-nourishment-decisions-loom-for-dare-commissioners/
North Topsail Beach homeowners reuse Christmas trees to build up dunes
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2020/12/29/north-topsail-beach-homeowners-reuse-christmas-trees-to-build-up-dunes/
The 2020 Battle Over SC Public Beach Access and Parking Ends the Year in a Draw
https://www.postandcourier.com/news/the-2020-battle-over-sc-public-beach-access-and-parking-ends-the-year-in-a/article_030c5b42-43a5-11eb-8829-7bc110d39758.html