Wrightsville Beach to receive $11.6 million federal dollars for beach renourishment

WASHINGTON, DC. (WECT) - Several members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation announced Wednesday that $11.6 million for the Wrightsville Beach Coastal Storm Damage Reduction project is included in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan for the Disaster Relief and Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022.

The funding will be administered through the Disaster Relief and Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022 and the U.S. Army Civil Works Program.

Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC7), Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), and Senator Thom Tills (R-NC) had announced approval of funding for similar projects at Carolina Beach and Kure Beach in October. The lawmakers had petitioned federal agencies to approve the funding for all New Hanover County beaches, citing damage done by recent hurricanes and tropical systems for making the beach renourishment a priority.

“I’m pleased the Army Corps of Engineers has moved quickly to include $11.6 million in their work plan to fund the Wrightsville Beach renourishment project,” Rep. Rouzer said in an email news release. “As I have said previously, this funding was not a matter of “if”, but “when”. Only because of a re-interpretation of the Coastal Barrier Resource Act by the Biden Administration’s Department of Interior was it not announced when the Carolina Beach and Kure Beach funding was. Today’s announcement is confirmation of the Corps’ commitment to addressing the storm damage reduction needs of Southeastern North Carolina’s local coastal communities, and I thank them for their continued efforts.”

“North Carolinians deserve resilient beaches that can withstand destructive storms and attract investment in their communities,” Senator Burr added in the same news release. “I am pleased that the Army Corps of Engineers has awarded $11.6 million for the renourishment of Wrightsville Beach, a critical project that I was proud to support and one that will give our coastline the infrastructure it needs to weather future storms.”

“This funding for coastal storm damage reduction at Wrightsville Beach is great news for North Carolina,” said Senator Tillis in the release. “Over the last few years, our coast has been devastated by Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, creating a real need to strengthen and protect our shores against future storm damage. I am proud to have actively advocated to secure these much-needed resources for the Wilmington region, and I want to thank Rep. Rouzer and Senator Burr for their partnership.”

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