OUTER BANKS, N.C. — It's no secret that Hatteras Island has faced an enormous amount of adversity throughout the fall and winter on the Outer Banks. But soon help will be on the way through beach nourishment projects in Avon and Buxton.
Though Dare County leaders made it clear that in the next 15 years, they will eventually need help funding these projects.
"We can't do it anymore by ourselves. We gotta have help," said Bob Woodard, chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners.
Woodard expressing the need for state and federal funding for beach nourishment projects is nothing new. Woodard and the board have constantly been outspoken about funding needs from elected leaders in Raleigh and Washington, D.C., even traveling to both places to advocate for it.
On Tuesday the board approved a contract for the company that will be performing the upcoming Avon and Buxton beach nourishment projects that include the jetty repair in Buxton.
"What the Board did yesterday is they allowed us to enter into the contract and begin the project on the 1.3 million cubic yard scenario, which is what we would wind up having to pay for with our money," said Dare County Manager Bobby Outten.
There are two scenarios that can happen for the beach nourishment projects. The first is the baseline route:
• 1.351 million cubic yards of sand in Buxton.
• 300,000 cubic yards of sand in Avon.
• Costing Dare County around $45 million.
• Includes the jetty repair in Buxton.
The second route includes FEMA funding that would be a significant boost to the project:
• 2 million cubic yards of sand in Buxton
• 800,000 cubic yards of sand in Avon.
• Costing around $65 million.
• $30.4 million coming from FEMA.
• Includes the jetty repair in Buxton.
Outten says previously FEMA told them they qualified for reimbursement from a storm that hit the area in 2024. Because beaches are designated as public infrastructure, the loss of sand from a storm qualified them for this FEMA money.
"This is from that declared storm, potential tropical cyclone eight, that we lost sand and FEMA said at the time that we were eligible, that we would get it. Beaches are designated as public infrastructure, because they provide a base for a tourism economy," said Outten.
But now it's unclear if that's going to happen. But a plan has to be in place so Great Lakes Dredge and Dock can get started in May with or without the FEMA funding.
"We can't sign a contract for another $30 million worth of sand without knowing we're going to get that $30 million from FEMA. But we got to get them started. So we're doing the part of the contract that we're paying for with our own money, and if we get the FEMA money, we'll add to it. If we don't, then we'll just do the one that we're paying for," said Outten.
Outten says the hope is that the nourishment can start in Avon and move south to Buxton, which will help buy time for the potential FEMA funding.
"That's the goal. That's what we're asking them to do, to give us more time to wait on FEMA," said Outten.
Either way, the plan is for the beach nourishment projects to start in May and the jetty repair around the same time frame. For the jetty repair, the county is currently waiting on the final permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
