Let’s be clear, this is largely an effort to save the beach houses, not the beaches. SLR doesn’t threaten the existence of most beaches, it just moves them. Certainly, there are portions of the OBX where the barrier island is very narrow and one could argue that beach nourishment is essential. There are also portions of the OBX that are wider than any other barrier island on the east coast. In these areas, beach nourishment is protecting investment properties. I will say this, these beach nourishment projects are largely funded locally and within the state, so how they spend their own money is totally up to them. It is my hope that some day, these beach nourishment projects will be combined with relocation of oceanfront homes so that the projects last longer and cost less. Simply trying to hold the line will become prohibitively expensive, soon. We will retreat. Will it be managed or unmanaged?
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