The N.C. Division of Coastal Management recently announced about $1.5 million is anticipated to available for the state’s Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access Program.

The program provides matching funds to local governments to build public access facilities in the state’s 20 coastal counties. The state program is supported by the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

“Expanding and improving public access to coastal shorelines continues to be a priority for our program and communities across the coast, so we’re looking forward to supporting additional proposals this year,” Division Director Tancred Miller said in a release.

The division is hosting an online grant application workshop that will cover topics including eligible projects, local match requirements, project timelines and other relevant grant application requirements. The workshop is scheduled to be held 2-3 p.m. on Feb. 18.

Local governments may register for that workshop online.

Examples of eligible projects include walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers, land acquisition and urban waterfront revitalization.

Those interested in applying for financial assistance must submit a pre-application by 5 p.m. on April 24. The division will notify applicants whose proposals have been selected by May 21.

Final applications are anticipated to be due by July 31, with selections announced in the fall.

Since the program’s inception in 1981, more than $54 million has been awarded for more than 500 grants.

More than $4.6 million will go to coastal conservation efforts such as property acquisition and living shoreline projects out of $36 million in statewide grants through North Carolina Land and Water Fund, the state announced earlier this week.

The fund gets appropriations from the N.C. General Assembly to support projects by local governments, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations that restore and protect the state’s natural and cultural resources.

“North Carolina is home to remarkable natural beauty,” Gov. Josh Stein said in a release. “These grants will help preserve that beauty.” 

These projects, which “will support North Carolina’s $28 billion outdoor recreation economy,” are broken up into four types: acquisition, stormwater, planning and restoration, the North Carolina Department of Natural and Coastal Resources said in the announcement.

Property acquisition projects selected for the coast are:

• $1.57 million to Kill Devil Hills for land at Nags Head Woods.
• $1.06 million to North Carolina Coastal Land Trust for land at Powells Point on the Albemarle Sound.
• $1.27 million to the town of Leland for the Silver Timber Tract – Nature Park.
• $752,000 to the North Carolina Coastal Federation for land in Carteret and Onslow counties.
• $3.5 million to Unique Places to Save for the St. James — Boiling Spring Lakes Wetland Complex, however this is a provisional award and depends on if the funds are available before July 1, 2026.
• $335,000 to The Nature Conservancy for land in Onslow and Pender counties. One of the three awards is provisional as well.

In addition to property acquisition, the Coastal Federation, which publishes Coastal Review, has been selected for just shy of $1 million for the following projects:

• An update to the Oyster Blueprint for Action Restoration and Protection Plan.
• A stormwater plan for the Ocean City Jazz Festival site on Topsail Island.
• The second phase of a living shoreline for Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
• A living shorelines cost-share program.

Sound Rivers Inc. has been awarded $243,200 for a stormwater wetland education site in Craven County and nearly $30,000 for a watershed plan for a section of Slocum Creek.

A North Carolina State University-sponsored program in Onslow County has been awarded $234,241 for a stormwater infrastructure maintenance robot.

New Hanover County has a $75,000 grant for a Pages Creek feasibility plan.

A statewide list is available online.

Previously the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the fund was put in place in 1996 to protect the state’s drinking water sources. The General Assembly expanded the fund’s mission to include conserving and protecting natural resources, cultural heritage and military installations.

This week, Sept. 20-27, is National Estuaries Week, an annual opportunity to raise awareness and encourage protection of these natural resources,

Sponsoring organizations Restore America’s Estuaries, National Estuarine Research Reserve Association and the Association of National Estuary Programs are partnering with the National Environmental Education Foundation to highlight estuary conservation projects as a part of National Public Lands Day Saturday, Sept. 27.

National Public Lands Day is a single-day volunteer event for public lands on the fourth Saturday in September. Groups hosting a clean-up or restoration project may submit the project description via an online form to be featured in a 2025 National Estuaries Week Project Map.

National Estuaries Day was first observed in 1988 as a way to promote the importance of estuaries and the need to protect them.

“Estuaries — where salty seawater mixes with fresh water draining from the land — are one of many coastal habitats in which we work. Estuaries provide homes for fish and wildlife and support recreation, jobs, tourism, shipping, and more,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Estuaries are called “nurseries of the sea,” because numerous marine animals reproduce and spend the early part of their lives in estuaries, which include habitats like marshes, seagrass beds and oyster reefs.

“Most of the fish and shellfish we eat — including salmon, herring, crabs, and oysters — spend some or all of their life in estuaries. Estuaries provide habitat for nearly 70 percent of the United States’ commercial fish catch and 80 percent of recreational catch,” NOAA explains in a release highlighting National Estuaries Week.

These natural resources provide a home for species that help improve water quality. Oysters are filter feeders that trap and remove pollution from the water. A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day.

In addition to being a home for marine life, nearly 40% of Americans live on or near a major estuary, which also serve an economic role. An analysis by Restore America’s Estuaries found 39% of jobs are connected to estuaries and support 47% of economic output.

Another benefit to estuaries is that “habitat like salt marshes and seagrass beds serve as natural infrastructure. They protect communities from flooding and erosion by soaking up water and dissipating storm energy,” NOAA said.

Update 4:30 p.m. Tuesday:

Gov. Josh Stein declared a State of Emergency Tuesday ahead of the anticipated impacts from Hurricane Erin, which was about 650 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras and moving at 10 mph at around 2 p.m. Tuesday.

“Hurricane Erin will bring threats of coastal flooding, beach erosion, and dangerous surf conditions,” Stein said in a statement. “North Carolinians along the coast should get prepared now, ensure their emergency kit is ready, and listen to local emergency guidelines and alerts in the event they need to evacuate.” 

Original post 6 p.m. Monday:

Eastern North Carolina should expect to see impacts from Hurricane Erin, including coastal flooding, starting Tuesday.

The center of the storm was predicted to remain off the coast by a couple hundred miles, but “We still expect impacts across eastern North Carolina, specifically coastal areas,” National Weather Service Meteorologist Erik Heden said during a webinar briefing at lunchtime Monday.

Effects will likely include dangerous surf and rip currents, storm surge, damaging beach erosion, major coastal flooding and overwash.

The storm was about 820 miles south-southeast of Buxton, or 810 miles south-southeast of Morehead City, according to the National Weather Service’s 5 p.m. Monday update. The Category 4 storm was moving northwest at 10 mph.

A storm surge watch and tropical storm watch were issued for eastern Carteret County, Hatteras Island, the northern Outer Banks and Ocracoke Island.

From Duck to Cape Lookout, water levels could reach up to 4 feet above ground, and 1 to 3 feet north of Duck and south of Cape Lookout.

“Elevated water levels will likely be accompanied by large and destructive waves,” forecasters said, adding peak storm surge forecast is generally provided within 48 hours of storm surge occurring in the area.

Heden, who is with the National Weather Service’s Morehead City/Newport office, said Monday that meteorologists began watching the storm Friday, and the storm is expected to increase in size in the coming days.

Updates throughout the weekend showed that as of midday Saturday, the storm was a Category 5, which has winds at 157 mph or faster on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. The major storm weakened to a Category 4, then to a Category 3, with winds from 111 to 129 mph, by Sunday evening.

The storm restrengthened overnight Sunday to a Category 4, with 140 mph winds, Heden said. Sustained wind speeds for Category 4 storms range from 130 to 156 miles per hour.

Forecasters said Monday that tropical storm force wind gusts were possible for the coast, with the highest probability for the Outer Banks, but stronger gusts were possible in any passing outer rainbands associated with Erin.

“The earliest reasonable time of arrival of tropical storm force winds for the immediate coastline is sometime Wednesday morning,” forecasters said. “However, the most likely time this area could see tropical storm force winds will be during the evening on Wednesday.”

The main concern with the winds will be the potential for soundside flooding on a north to northeast wind for Down East Carteret County, Ocracoke and Hatteras Island on Thursday.

Coastal flooding could begin as soon as Tuesday, more than 24 hours before any tropical storm force winds arrive, peaking Wednesday into Thursday and slowly easing up later in the week, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters also advise that extensive beach erosion could occur because of strong, long periods of wave energy with waves as high as 15 to more than 20 feet in the surf zone. These waves will also make the surf extremely dangerous Wednesday into Thursday, as well as the life-threatening rip currents expected the majority of this week.

Hyde, Dare counties

Hyde and Dare counties have issued states of emergency and were evacuating Ocracoke and parts of Hatteras Island ahead of the storm’s arrival Monday.

States of emergency went into effect for Dare County at 6 p.m. Sunday, and for Hyde County’s Ocracoke Island at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Dare County officials announced Sunday afternoon a mandatory evacuation had been issued for Hatteras Island Zone A, which includes all of Hatteras Island, including the unincorporated villages of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras.

Visitors were to evacuate by 10 a.m. Monday and residents must begin evacuating beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

The mandatory evacuation order for Ocracoke visitors began at 8 p.m. Sunday and for residents starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

“It is extremely likely that Hyde County EMS services will not be available in Ocracoke due to Highway 12 being inaccessible. Please take this warning seriously, especially if you have medical issues or are likely to need special care,” Hyde officials said in a release, adding plans to continue monitoring the forecast and issue advisories as appropriate.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s ferry division announced Monday that only residents, homeowners or vendors with an Ocracoke re-entry sticker on their vehicles will be allowed on ferries inbound to Ocracoke, in coordination with the mandatory evacuation order.

“While we don’t expect Hurricane Erin to make landfall on the Outer Banks, there will likely be large waves, ocean overwash and major coastal flooding that impact Highway 12,” said Ferry Division Director Jed Dixon. “We hope everyone will heed the evacuation orders for their own safety.”

No visitors will be allowed access to Ocracoke Island until the evacuation order is lifted.

Priority boarding will be suspended for all vessels leaving Ocracoke, and tolls have been waived for ferries heading from Ocracoke to Cedar Island or Swan Quarter.

The Ocracoke-Hatteras, Ocracoke-Cedar Island and Ocracoke-Swan Quarter routes will run the published schedules until the evacuation is complete.

Service on the Ocracoke Express passenger ferry, which runs between the village of Ocracoke and Hatteras Island, is suspended until further notice.

For real-time travel information, please check NCDOT’s DriveNC.gov and the agency’s social media accounts. People can also receive text or email notifications on ferry schedules and changes through the Ferry Information Notification System, or FINS.  

National Park Service

To be consistent with Dare and Hyde counties, Cape Hatteras National Seashore will be closing beach accesses and facilities, the National Park Service said.

“The Coastal Flood Watch indicates that extreme beach erosion and coastal damage is likely along the oceanside, resulting in a significant threat to life and property. Large, dangerous waves will likely inundate and destroy protective dune structures,” according to the press release. “Severe flooding will likely extend inland where there is vulnerable or no protective dune structure, flooding homes and businesses with some structural damage possible. Roads will likely be impassable under several feet of water and vehicles will likely be submerged.”

Museum of the Sea at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the Discovery Center on Ocracoke Island will close by 5 p.m. Monday. 

Cape Point, Frisco, and Ocracoke campgrounds were to close by 3 p.m. Monday and Oregon Inlet Campground will close at noon Tuesday. Bodie Island Lighthouse will close Wednesday and Thursday.

Off-road vehicle ramps were to close by 9 p.m. Monday. To view the status of beach access ramps, visit http://go.nps.gov/beachaccess.

Due to the presence of threatened oceanfront structures, the Seashore will close beach access in Rodanthe from the terminus of Old Highway 12 to the end of the Ocean Drive and in front of the village of Buxton southward to Ramp 43.   

Visitors should stay off the beaches completely and discontinue use of all beach trails and boardwalks beginning Tuesday morning.

Hurricane Erin is forecast to be a potential threat to Cape Lookout National
Seashore, with North and South Core Banks expected to experience the most significant impacts, Lookout officials said, adding that coastal flooding will likely be a long duration issue with impacts lasting late into the week.

Cape Lookout National Seashore officials plan to close facilities starting at noon Tuesday, including the Light Station Visitor Center and the Keepers Quarters Museum, through at least Friday.    

Island Express Ferry Service will cease operations out of Beaufort and Harkers Island beginning Wednesday through Friday.   

Great Island and Long Point Cabin Camps reservations have been canceled for Tuesday through Friday. The closure could extend beyond Friday, depending on the impact on the seashore. 

“I hope Erin will remain off the coast and head out sea, but hope is not a good way forward.  I really hate to impact people’s plans, and we aim to reopen as soon as possible afterwards,” acting Superintendent Katherine Cushinberry said Monday in a statement.

The National Park Service staff will be monitoring ongoing developments with Hurricane Erin and will post updates as needed on the park website at go.nps.gov/stormwatch.

Want to visit a particular spot along one of North Carolina’s beaches or coastal waterfronts this summer?

There’s a map for that.

The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management’s Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access Program is an online, interactive map accessible from mobile devices and desktops that allows users to find sites within 1 to 10 miles of a location.

The map provides information on the location and amenities within the area, such as public restrooms and showers, for more than 800 local, state and federally funded access sites along the state’s ocean shores and estuarine waters.

Questions or comments may be directed to Rachel Love-Adrick at Rachel.love-adrick@deq.nc.gov. Include the site location in your correspondence.

The Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access Program began in 1981. Since that time 30 grants totaling more than $55 million have funded improvements to public waterfront access, such as walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, and piers. Funds may also be used for land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization.

Update May 21: The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has lifted a swim advisory for a soundside area in New Hanover County. The department announced Tuesday that water testing at the beach across from Whiskey Creek along the Intracoastal Waterway near marker No. 135 in Wilmington shows bacteria levels have dropped below state and Environmental Protection Agency standards for swimming and water play.

Original post:

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has issued swimming advisories at soundside areas in two coastal counties after waters at those sites were found to exceed federal recreational water quality standards.

The department announced Friday morning that test results of water samples collected in Beaufort County at the Pantego Creek public access, located at the intersection of East Main and Tooley streets in Belhaven, indicate a running monthly average of 37 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water.

That average exceeds the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s standards of a running monthly average of 35 enterococci per 100 milliliters based on five samples taken within 30 days, according to a DEQ release.

In New Hanover County, an advisory has been issued for the beach across from Whiskey Creek along the Intracoastal Waterway near marker No. 135 in Wilmington after test results taken May 14-15 indicate bacteria exceed state and federal levels of 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters for Tier 2 nondaily use sites.

Swimmers should avoid waters within 200 feet of a posted advisory sign.

Enterococci is found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and, while it is not known to cause illness, studies show it may indicate the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People who swim or play in waters with elevated bacteria levels risk a greater chance of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections.

Testing at both sites will continue and the public will be notified when the bacteria levels dip to levels below the standards.

State recreational water quality officials sample more than 200 sites, mostly on a weekly basis throughout the coast between April-October. Testing continues through late fall into winter, but less frequently because fewer people are in the water.

A map of testing sites and additional information is available on the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program’s website.

Coastal towns and large homeowner associations representing beachfront properties now have the choice to install a controversial alternative to sand fencing on ocean-facing shores.

The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission last week amended a rule to allow those entities to apply for a permit to place wheat straw bales on ocean shorelines as a means to protect and build up beachfront dunes.

The rule, which will now go to the state Rules Review Commission for final approval, limits the use of wheat straw bales to government organizations and HOAs with more than 1 mile of oceanfront shoreline.

Use of wheat hay bales is restricted to those groups until the state gains a better understanding of their impacts to wildlife, including sea turtles, shoreline environment, and their efficacy.

In a 7-5 vote in favor of the rule, some on the Coastal Resources Commission, or CRC, reiterated concerns that have been repeatedly raised in recent years by wildlife officials and environmental organizations.

Those groups, including the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, N.C. Audubon, North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Southern Environmental Law Center, argue additional studies need to be done to understand the potential impacts of wheat straw bales to shoreline habitat and the animals that rely on that habitat.

“I just would like to say I think we’re opening ourselves up to a lawsuit,” Commissioner Lauren Salter said during the CRC’s April 30 meeting in Manteo. “I think Southern Environmental Law Center is going to definitely pursue it based on the comments that we received.”

The effectiveness of wheat straw bales on an oceanfront shore was initially tested as an alternative to wooden sand fencing in 2015 on Figure Eight Island, a privately owned island north of Wilmington.

The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management issued a Coastal Area Management Act permit to two properties to initial a pilot study on the New Hanover County island.

The bales eventually became covered with sand, but, within a few months, they were washed away in a storm, according to the division.

Wheat straw bales were not allowed on a North Carolina beach again until 2023, after Ocean Isle Beach officials requested approval to place them on a portion of the town’s oceanfront shore.

Ocean Isle Town Administrator Justin Whiteside reminded commissioners last week that the town made the request because sand fencing was hard to acquire in the months following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Town officials noted the pilot project on Figure Eight Island and wanted to mimic it, he said.

“It was successful in some areas,” on Ocean Isle, Whiteside said. “Then we did have a storm and some of it washed away. Others, it’s still covered up and, as far as I’m aware, it’s still there just all covered up with sand.”

Division officials have said they do not expect a significant uptick in the use of straw bales because they tend to cost more than traditional sand fencing and they would need to be replaced more frequently than fencing.

Coastal Resources Commissioner Jordan Hennessy last week said that his position on the rule amendment remained the same as those he had expressed during a previous meeting.

Hennessy questioned whether the rule, by omitting private property owners from being able to apply for a permit to install wheat straw bales, is constitutional.

“I’ll be voting against the rule because I don’t believe it’s constitutional,” he said.

The CRC’s legal counsel, Mary Lucasse, advised that the rule amendment is not unconstitutional.

“I don’t see anything unconstitutional that’s jumping out on me, and I don’t actually understand your argument, commissioner, as to why you think it’s unconstitutional,” she said. “We do a lot of rulemaking that focuses on situational things, and we sometimes try things, as we did with (wheelchair-accessible) mats, with local governments being able to do it first, and we have not drawn any challenges to that based on constitutionality or other things, and I don’t see an issue in that.”

Under the amended rule, wheat straw bales cannot impede public or emergency vehicle access or be installed in a manner that endangers nesting sea turtles, which is similar the sand fencing rule.

Installation of wheat straw bales will require consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state Wildlife Resources Commission through permit application review. Ties or bindings on bales must be removed to reduce debris and the possibility of wildlife entanglement.

Straw bales will be limited to 10-foot-long sections, which is the same requirement for sand fencing, and can be no wider than 2 feet or higher than 3 feet. Bales can not be more than 10 feet waterward of the first line of stable, natural vegetation, erosion scarp or toe of a frontal dune.

Sections of straw bales, sand fencing, or Christmas trees, which may also be used to trap sand, must be spaced 7 feet apart. Nonfunctioning, damaged bales or stakes that have moved from their alignment must be repaired or removed from the shore.

Reprinted from The Outer Banks Voice

Speaking April 16 to a room of more than 40 concerned residents gathered in the former Buxton Volunteer Fire Station, Dare County Planning Director Noah Gillam addressed community concerns over the fate of a zone of influence district designed to protect Buxton Woods Reserve.

The zone of influence is an area on the soundside of N.C. Highway 12 from Billy Mitchell Airport Road north to the Buxton and Cape Hatteras National Seashore boundary. The zone may have been written to give extra protection to the maritime forest when it was established as a reserve site in 1988 by the North Carolina Coastal Reserve, a land protection program under the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

But based on what came to light during the meeting organized by the Buxton Civic Association, the zone of influence was not referenced in Buxton or Frisco zoning ordinances for at least 30 years, and apparently the Dare County Planning Department was not aware of it.

In April, a request for a text amendment for a fourth apartment in a three-apartment building in Frisco brought the zone of influence language to Gillam’s attention. Based on that, the variance would not be a permitted use. But there are legal questions about whether the 1988 ordinance can be applied and is enforceable, and whether anything can or should be done about apparent nonconforming uses within the zone of influence.

Gillam said he learned of the zone of influence ordinance when researching a request from New Jersey resident Brian Suth, who owns an office building in Frisco that is part of the S-1 zoning district, requested information on converting the offices to four apartments.

“The language that’s in the (zone of influence) ordinance prohibits him from doing that,” Gillam said “So he has requested (removing) the density limitation for multi-family housing that was established in September of 1988.”

The S-1 district is defined as allowing “broad flexibility of services and uses while establishing certain density limitations, setbacks, parking requirements and other general requirements.” Based on that description, Suth’s request would have been allowed. However, based on the language in the zone of influence, the additional apartment could not be permitted.

The zone of influence ordinance was apparently designed to stop a proposed 40-unit condominium project according to Alyson Flynn, coastal advocate and environmental economist with the North Carolina Coastal Federation.

“There are minutes that point to a 40-unit development that was denied originally,” Flynn said. Gillam agreed, noting, “That was the triggering point of what created the language in ’88,” he said. The zone of influence language is very specific, reading, “No multi-family development, townhouses, or condominium project located with ½ mile of any SED-1 zoning district shall exceed a dwelling density of three single family units…per acre or usable land area.”

The SED-1 district is the special environmental district that includes Buxton Woods in Buxton and Frisco and contains the most restrictive language of any county zone. The zone of influence borders the SED-1 zone, but it is not part of it.

The ordinance was written in 1988, but references to the zone of influence were not included in zoning language for either Frisco or Buxton. Because some of the provisions in the zone of influence are more restrictive than the zoning requirements in those communities, state law requires a reference to the additional zoning language, Gillam explained.

As it stands right now, the zone of influence ordinance may not meet the legal standards of the state.

“There’s a (North Carolina) general statute that establishes that if you make an amendment ordinance and you don’t codify it throughout the ordinance to the lands it affects, that ordinance is not legal…That’s what we’re investigating now with the county attorney. Is this language even enforceable?” Gillam said.

Whether or not it is enforceable, Gillam said, the ordinance is flawed. He pointed out that if the purpose was to restrict high-impact development, it failed to do so.

Flynn agreed with Gillam, noting that “It seems like this ordinance was put into place to stop a specific development that the county didn’t want…so in that sense it has worked because there aren’t 40-unit condominiums in Buxton or Frisco,” she said. “But Noah is exactly right. There could be a hotel there, and that’s where it starts to get hairy, because on one hand, it seems like it did its job, but on the other hand, it very clearly has not.”

There are other concerns as well. Asked if, based on the zone of influence language, there are nonconforming uses, Gillam answered, “When you look at Buxton, or just in the zone of influence area, I think I counted seven campgrounds that have a density way surpassing three units per acre.”

Pressed by The Voice to address what would happen to the zone of influence language if it were successfully challenged in court, Gillam answered, “It would be struck from the ordinance.”

“And that is what (county manager) Bobby Outten is investigating right now,” Commissioner Mary Ellon Ballance added.

It is unclear what, if any, effect removing the zone of influence ordinance would have. The zoning language has not been applied since it stopped the 40-unit condominium in 1988, and monitoring of the 1,007-acre Buxton Woods, which is the “largest remaining contiguous tract of Maritime Evergreen Forest on the Atlantic coast,” according to the Buxton Woods website, has shown it to be a healthy maritime forest.

Asked by the Voice what she felt the next steps should be to address concerns about the zone of influence ordinance, Ballance noted “There’s a lot of unknowns at this point, other than our first step has got to be a determination of whether this is even enforceable.”

She wondered if there could be “a 30-day freeze on building and on any new permitting within the zone of influence.” And in suggesting a moratorium on new permitting, Ballance’s position was similar to comments Flynn made during the meeting.

“I think we need to just take a step back and look at what removal of this ordinance would look like. Find more information so we can make an informed decision,” she said.

This story is provided courtesy of The Outer Banks Voice, a digital newspaper covering the Outer Banks. Coastal Review partners with The Voice to provide readers with more stories of interest about our coast.

Communities in the 20 coastal counties can apply for funding to improve public access to coastal beaches and waters.

North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management will accept preapplications until 5 p.m. April 25 for the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program.

This year, around $2 million is available in matching funds for local governments to construct low-cost public access facilities such as walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers and related projects. Funds also may be used for land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization.

An online grant application workshop is being offered at 2 p.m. on Feb.19. Attendees can learn about eligible projects, local match requirements, project timelines and other relevant grant application requirements. Register online for the workshop.

“The funding provided by the Division of Coastal Management each year through the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program ensures that all of North Carolina’s residents and visitors have convenient and safe opportunities to access our stunning beaches and public trust waters,” DCM Director Tancred Miller said in a release.

Division staff will select recipients based on criteria set by the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission. Applicants will be notified by May 10 if their proposal is selected. The final application will be due in July.

Funding for the grant program comes from the North Carolina General Assembly through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management announced Monday more than $2.8 million has been awarded to 14 local governments to improve public access to coastal beaches and waters for fiscal 2024-25.

The awards include $350,000 for Topsail Beach, which is partnering with the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust and North Carolina Division of Coastal Management to purchase in fee title property at the south end of the island totaling more than 149 acres and known as “The Point.” The $350,000 grant will be used purchase 1.5 acres of the parcel for public access. The Coastal Land Trust is to purchase the property and immediately transfer 1.5 acres to the town with the remaining acreage to be transferred to the state.

Related: Coastal Land Trust takes fresh approach to save ‘The Point’

“The natural resources of North Carolina’s coastal communities draw residents and visitors alike and are a vital part of the state’s economy,” said Secretary Elizabeth S. Biser in the announcement. “Supporting projects that help local governments and communities sustain safe natural shoreline spaces and improve access to our beaches and waterfront continues to be a priority for our agency.”

In addition to Topsail Beach, grants were awarded to the following local governments:

• Atlantic Beach received $58,243 for improvements to the Beaufort Avenue beach access to rebuild and extend the existing wooden walkway.
• Atlantic Beach also received $60,574 for improvements to the Greenville Avenue beach access to rebuild and extend the existing wooden walkway.
• Carolina Beach received $132,322 improvements to the 1810 Canal Drive site to build a parking lot with accessible parking spots, and construction of a six-foot-by-150-foot Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant wooden walkway allowing access from parking area to beach strand.
• Carteret County received $225,000 for improvements to the Straits water access site including adding 33 paved parking spaces with two spaces for people with disabilities at the old Harkers Island Bridge site. The project also includes the addition of a picnic shelter.
• Carteret County received $300,000 for improvements to the West Beaufort water access to add walkways connecting the existing amenities to Beaufort’s sidewalk system, improvements to the kayak launch area and additional parking for the boat ramp.
• Dare County received $114,010 for new construction at the Old Lighthouse Beach in Buxton. The project includes construction of a new restroom and shower facilities.
• Elizabeth City received $378,000 for improvements to the Causeway Park access site to replace dilapidated pilings and boardwalk; add a kayak launch and connecting boardwalk segment; replace the current observation decks and fishing pier; and install a concrete pad sufficient to provide two accessible parking spaces.
• Indian Beach received $179,863 for improvements at the Ocean Club neighborhood beach access to replace the entire length of the boardwalk. The new plans for the boardwalk include the reconstruction of the original walkway and a 10-foot-by-10-foot observation deck overlooking the beach.
• Kill Devil Hills received $77,928 for new construction at the Hayman Boulevard beach access for construction of a dune crossover. The walkway will be elevated to traverse the growing dune system at this site.
• Manteo received $95,738 for improvements at the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse Pier to replace decking on the pier leading to and surrounding the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse replica in Shallowbag Bay.
• Morehead City received $205,084 for improvements at the 10th Street access site. The project has two major components: removal and reconstruction of the western dock to include and improve accessibility, stabilization and site protection features, and installation of nature-based resiliency features, a living shoreline, to further reduce and disable wave energy to the northern shoreline and site structures.
• Nags Head received $207,669 for improvements at the June Street public beach access to build an approximately 6-foot-wide, 1,650-square-foot, accessible, wooden dune walkover, a 16-foot octagonal gazebo and an upgraded shower-station and lamppost.
• Oak Island received $32,000 for new construction at the SE 31st Street kayak launch to install a new ADA-compliant kayak launch with a 3-foot-by-12-foot safe launch, a 4-foot-by-12-foot open slip and an ADA-compliant transfer platform and new aluminum gangway.
• Ocean Isle Beach received $54,000 for improvements to the Concord Street beach access. The existing beach access currently terminates within the dune system, this project will extend the access from its current location and result in it terminating roughly even with the frontal dune. To meet ADA compliance, the stair system will be replaced by a wheelchair-accessible ramp that will have appropriate 5-foot landings per every 20 feet of inclined ramp. The access will also be widened to 8 feet across and have engineered X-bracing supports.
• Sunset Beach received $392,175 for new construction at Majestic Oaks Park to build 1,000 feet of pervious walkway, and about 460 feet of boardwalk and a wildlife observation area.

The program has awarded 530 grants totaling more than $55 million to improve public waterfront access sites since it began in 1981. For more information about the program, go to the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access website.

The Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program provides matching funds to local governments in the 20 coastal counties. Governments that receive grants must match them by contributing at least 25 percent toward the project’s cost.

Funding for the grant program comes from the North Carolina General Assembly through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. Access projects may include walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers and related projects. Funds also may be used for land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization. Staff with the state Division of Coastal Management selected the recipients based on criteria set by the Coastal Resources Commission.

Extensive erosion from recent and constant northeast winds that have exposed septic fields have prompted state recreational water quality officials to issue a precautionary swim advisory for ocean waters near Corbina Drive in Rodanthe and near Cottage Avenue and Tower Circle in Buxton.

Officials with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Recreational Water Quality Program said Friday they would place signs near the public accesses once conditions at the location are safe and would lift the advisory when bacteriological test results come back within state and federal standards and the expose risk is no longer a concern.

“The risk of exposure is temporary and should resolve once the septic tank is emptied and the system is no longer being utilized. The state is working with the National Park Service and Dare County officials to determine when the risk of exposure is no longer a concern,” officials said.

Wastewater discharges increase the risk that contamination is present in the ocean and nearby tidal pools. Adverse health effects such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps and skin infections could occur if people swim in these areas, and the public is advised to avoid bodily contact with these waters.

Oak Island officials announced Wednesday that its newly installed beach warning notification system will enhance safety for beachgoers and add visibility to its warning flag system already in place.

The town’s public works department installed four signs with beach warning lights that feature a fully automated wireless control system that receives National Weather Service updates and then displays the current beach warning condition via signal light.

The signage was developed by SwimSmart Warning Systems of Marquette, Michigan. The firm has designed and installed similar systems in numerous states on the East Coast, West Coast, and in the Great Lakes region.

Officials said the signs are completely self-contained, using solar options for power and onboard data receivers for information.

David Kelly, the outgoing town manager, began discussions with SwimSmart in mid-2023, according to the announcement. The company designed a system for Oak Island that incorporates a purple light to indicate the risk of “stinging marine life” such as jellyfish or Portuguese men-of-war.

The four signs were installed near the following beach access locations:

• Barbee Boulevard near the Oak Island Pier.
• Oak Island Cabana (Middleton Park Complex).
• Third Place East near South Middleton Avenue.
• The Point at the end of West Beach Drive.

The signs were to be activated by the end of the day Wednesday.

The signs’ effectiveness and durability are to be evaluated during the 2024 summer season. Then officials will determine whether to expand or adapt the program.

While the lighted signs provide beachgoers with conditions at a quick glance, officials still recommend checking the Beach Safety page of the town website for full forecast and safety information. The page also contains important information on rip current safety, what to do in an emergency, and directions on how to use rescue tubes.

To view the Beach Safety page, scan the QR code found on any of the Water Safety Stations or visit OakIslandNC.gov/SAFETY.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists has named the North Carolina General Assembly the recipient of its annual Black Hole Award for violating the public’s right to know in the change of the state’s public records law.

The Black Hole Award is bestowed annually upon government institutions or agencies “for acts of outright contempt of the public’s right to know.” The recipient was announced Sunday, during Sunshine Week, March 10-16. Sunshine Week is “a nonpartisan collaboration among groups in the journalism, civic, education, government and private sectors that shines a light on the importance of public records and open government,” according to the organization’s website.

“The North Carolina law worsens a national patchwork of threats to state government transparency,” said SPJ Freedom of Information Committee member Howard Goldberg, a retired Associated Press bureau chief who noted that the news agency for years has been denied public records access to some state lawmakers’ office calendars and correspondence. “Legislatures in effect are exempting themselves from accountability to citizens who want to know how their laws are made and who is influencing their lawmakers.”

The group cited the General Assembly’s passage last fall of the state budget that included a new law that exempts state lawmakers from the state’s public records law.

“This means it is entirely up to North Carolina lawmakers to decide what public records, if any, to reveal,” the organization said. “The governor and other members of the Council of State, elected by voters statewide, are still subject to public records law.”

The group also noted that the budget also repealed a law requiring redistricting draft maps and communications to be made publicly available. Previously, communications created during the legislative redistricting process became public once the new maps became law.

“The core spirit of Sunshine Week is to uphold the most important principle of democracy, that the people are always in charge of their government,” said Sterling Cosper, SPJ Freedom of Information Committee co-chair. “This oversight does not just begin and end with elections but rather should happen all day every day. Citizens are the bosses and it is not becoming of their elected employees to dictate to them without consultation what information they have a right to when it comes to their money and vote. The assembly netted a hattrick of unethical and shadowy governance by introducing a measure to hide their day-to-day decisions with taxpayer dollars, and the process for redrawing the election map that affects their party’s job security as well as the citizens’ right to choose all within the annual budget, essentially holding it hostage for these provisions and disallowing the government to continue properly providing services.”

The group also noted that opposition to the legislature’s changes was bipartisan.

About $3 million is available to help local governments in the 20 coastal counties improve public accesses to coastal beaches and waters.

Through the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program provides matching funds to local governments to construct low-cost public access facilities.

“Expanding and improving public access to coastal shorelines continues to be a priority for our program and communities across the coast, so we’re excited to be able to support additional proposals this year,” the division’s Director Braxton Davis said in a statement.

Access projects may include walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers and related projects. Funds also can be used for land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization.

Local governments must submit a pre-application to the division by 5 p.m. April 15 and will be notified by May 10 if their proposal is selected to submit a final application most likely due in July. Application information is available online.

Staff with the Division of Coastal Management select recipients based on criteria set by the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission. All final applicants will be notified this fall if their project has been selected.

North Carolina General Assembly through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund funds the program. The grant program has awarded 497 grants totaling more than $53.8 million since the program began in 1981.

For more information about the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program, visit the website.

Guest Commentary

The following is an excerpt from Tim Hatcher’s book “Time and Tide: The Vanishing Culture of the North Carolina Coast,” a nonfiction work that examines the culture, history, and landscape of the region through the eyes of a longtime coast watcher. The chapter selected for publication was chosen in recognition of 2024 as the 50th anniversary of the Coastal Area Management Act passed in 1974.

The ocean pulls us to its shores like a big, wet magnet. Its embrace is both alluring and menacing.

The closer we get to the ocean physically, the more we are drawn to its mystery and majesty. What is it about the ocean that draws us in? Could it be spiritual in nature — that because water is the source of all life, we have a deep-seated connection with the world’s oceans? Or is it more primal? Is it that Homo sapiens evolved from the ocean?

As with a mother and child, there is a loving, devoted, and sometimes conflicted attachment. Whether spiritual, biological, or for some other reason altogether, our relationship with the ocean and its environment is by all accounts extraordinary. For many people it’s mystifying and emotionally exhausting, akin to a religious epiphany.

Now more than ever before, this mixture of attraction, devotion, and emotion runs up against the opposing forces of bureaucracy, greed, stubbornness, and arrogance. As disagreements grow into more than simple controversy, this discord is fueled by passions that causes open conflict.

Coastal Culture Clash

Over the years, there have been minor disputes among coastal families: arguments over who caught the biggest or the most fish or who built the best boat, and other squabbles that always worked themselves out. However, the most troubling disagreements along the North Carolina coast have been between citizens — the people who live and work on the water — and the government, in what ever form it takes.

Sometimes conflicts are caused by politicians in Raleigh (the state capital) or Washington, D.C., and its subsidiaries. Sometimes it’s scientists working for a governmental agency. Often, it’s a conflict between people trying to make a living from the ocean and the pressures of special interests — environmental organizations like the Audubon Society. Other times, controversies that originate from the National Park Service or North Carolina Fisheries Management. However, the real culprit was, and still is, attempts by folks in the bureaucracies or organizations to somehow control coastal communities, the people who rely on the ocean for their livelihood, and others who are strongly connected to and dependent on the water.

There is little doubt that the coast and its waters are special to many people. The land and water, sand dunes, vegetation, fish and other creatures that make up the natural environment of the coast provide beauty, inspiration, sustenance, and recreation for hundreds of sports enthusiasts, anglers, and hunters, and thousands of vacationers each year. For them, the coast is something to take advantage of and enjoy.

For others, the coast is experienced in a very different way. The beauty of nature pales in comparison to its bounty — a bounty that resides in the ocean and the many sounds, rivers, and creeks up and down the coast. Yes, the coast is beautiful and pleasurable, but it’s also the means of difficult livelihoods for families and others who depend on it for their survival.

Without this bounty and the constant struggle to reap its hard-fought and dwindling rewards, coastal residents would not be the unique, strong, and able people they are. This intimate relationship between people and the ocean is the source of much of the coast’s rich history. It is also the source of many conflicts and controversies. People living on the coast have for hundreds of years built and shaped their lives not only to fend off the fierceness of nature, but also to resist influence from human forces that constantly bombard them. To eke out a living from the coast’s unforgiving environment is tough, but it’s also meaningful in ways that other kinds of work can never be. The people who work the shrimpers, throw out crab pots, build boats, work in marinas, mend fishing nets, and wait tables face powerful incentives to change, but no matter what struggles they face, in their heart the coast is still home. Working the water in its many forms has been and remains the heart, soul, and backbone of the North Carolina coastal culture.

Many conflicts and controversies have plagued generations of coastal residents. Some, like the building of a bridge, have a finite life, a beginning and an obvious end; but others, like the plight of commercial fishermen, are ongoing and seem never-ending.

The outcome of conflict is generally some kind of change. We are not the same our way of life, way of thinking, and way of responding to the world, and can shift reality as we see it. The way people respond to conflict can make a culture stronger and more resilient, or it can break down the fabric that holds it together.

By the late twentieth century, the North Carolina coast was a place with conflicting structures and uses, and a variety of demands from differing sources. Much of the shoreline has been in growing cultural and physical tension, obvious to all but the most unobservant. Driving past a landscape riddled with strip malls, miniature golf courses, craft beer cafés, and restaurants — all shouting coastal themes like a carnival barker — anyone can see that the coast has in many places become a cheap reproduction of itself in an effort to satisfy multiple opposing natural and commercial demands. Its biological and ecological preserves suffer under the urban blight of McMansions and ugly retail outlets.

No matter how innocent visitors may be as they enjoy long, sandy beaches and no matter how ambivalent they seem as they unfold a lawn chair at Coquina or Atlantic Beach, every one of them not only brings economic gain but slams another nail into the coffin of coastal dwellers and their endangered way of life. The clashes between commercialism and regulation on the hand and the culture on the other have intensified over the past three decades into legal as well as face-to-face conflicts. Do the “needs” of a few powerful people outweigh the needs of people who have called the coast home for generations? Should the “need” to build a condo with limited occupancy trump the need to sustain a fish house where locally caught seafood is sold to feed many families and sustain a community? Who makes decisions that bring about the loss of a culture? Who is at the table? Should power brokers be reminded that just because a majority believes in and supports something does not make it right?

The coastal culture during the nineteenth, twentieth, and early twenty-first centuries focused on making a living and working the water in all its many forms, including commercial fishing for flounder, menhaden, and other species; crabbing; shrimping and oystering; catching mullet or bluefish; fishing for giant bluefin tuna; and sport fishing for big pelagics like blue marlin. But working the water means more than pulling creatures from the salt water. It includes all manner of marine-oriented work.

Along the coast of North Carolina, in addition to commercial fishing, many people are employed in boatbuilding, marina operations, and the state-run ferry service and state ports; and they fill literally hundreds of jobs in charter fishing, retail seafood outlets, bait and tackle stores, and related businesses. Not only are all of these jobs dependent on skilled labor, the right equipment and supplies, and a willingness to work hard, but without people’s ability to access coastal waters, most would significantly decline or dis appear altogether.

Water Access: Drawing Lines in the Sand

Beach and water access is under full frontal attack all along the coast. There are increased buffer zones protecting birds and turtles, fewer fishing piers, and fewer fish houses; continuing court battles attempting to establish more beach restrictions; and the loss of affordable and welcoming marinas and other “put in” sites for public launching of boats. Coastal landscapes have drastically changed from the brush-covered, sandy beaches of less than 50 years ago. Today, the long history of open access to North Carolina’s 300 miles of oceanfront beaches and many miles of other coastal waters is being put on trial by a small number of individuals, special interest groups, and the courts.

For a very long time, people in North Carolina have had the unconditional right to access the state’s coastal waters. That right is granted by what is known as the “public trust doctrine,” a long-held legal principle that says not only that certain natural and cultural resources are preserved for public use, but that the government must protect and maintain these resources. The history of the public trust doctrine can be traced back to the Magna Carta of 1215, which restricted the right of British nobility to use or limit access to waterways — meaning that the public has the right to the use of certain waters for the benefit of all. That principle was brought to the United States by the colonists and over the years was codified by laws and doctrine in North Carolina that hold navigable waterways and fishing rights must be protected. The public has the “right to navigate, swim, hunt, fish, and enjoy all recreational activities in the watercourses of the State … [and] the right to freely use and enjoy the State’s ocean and estuarine beaches and public access to the beaches,” according to North Carolina statutes.

Since the nineteenth century, state courts have defined the “public beach” to extend from the water’s edge to the mean high-water (high-tide) mark. In contrast, the area between the mean high-water mark and the base of the first line of sand dunes, defined as the “dry sand beach,” can be privately owned. However, this does not absolutely give a property owner the right to privacy or to restrict access to that specific portion of their property.

North Carolina courts have to date upheld the public’s right to the beach. In the case of Giampa et al. v. Currituck County (also known as the Whalehead litigation), oceanfront property owners sought to restrict the use of dune crossovers in the Whalehead subdivision in Corolla, resulting in their exclusive use of the dry-sand beach in front of their homes. A judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2003, and the North Carolina Court of Appeals upheld that dismissal in 2005. Of course, as with most legal precedents, challenges to the public trust doctrine continue.

In North Carolina, the beach to the dune line is considered public and anyone can use it. But it turns out that access to that beach is not a public right. A property owner does not have to grant access, and government cannot compel them to do so. The small town of Duck, on the northern Outer Banks, experienced this conflict. In May of 2019, the town of Duck finally carried out its warning about unauthorized beach access by arresting Robert Hovey for trespassing when he tried to reach the beach through land owned by property owners of the Sand Dollar Shores subdivision and its homeowners association. The arrest was not unexpected. It was the culmination of a long-standing dispute between Hovey, who owns an outdoor rental equipment company, and local homeowners. Hovey’s attorney made an interesting observation: “Obviously, you’ve got to get to the interior area to get out to the ocean. … The public trust rights would be meaningless if they were just lateral along the oceanfront.”

The case ignited a firestorm on social media about private property rights versus public rights to access, with fairly heated and hostile language on both sides of the issue. Lawsuits against the town were filed and then dismissed, and the homeowners association’s case was initially dismissed by a judge. Unsurprisingly, the town of Duck sided with the property owner in arguing that the beach accesses in the town were privately deeded. Then a judge in Camden County Superior Court in March of 2020 ruled in Hovey’s favor. The ruling could open up other access points at the ends of streets near the ocean.

Some 200 miles south-southwest of Duck is the resort town of Emerald Isle. In 2010, to allow emergency and other vehicles an unimpeded route along the beach, the city of Emerald Isle passed an ordinance prohibiting “equipment” from being placed within 20 feet of the base of the frontal dune. A year later, Gregory and Diane Nies from New Jersey bought a beachfront home in Emerald Isle. In 2011 they filed suit in Superior Court claiming that the ordinance and the town were taking their property without just compensation, so the ordinance was illegal.

The Nieses appealed, and the Appellate Court ruled in a unanimous decision that “public right of access to dry sand beaches in North Carolina is so firmly rooted in the custom and history of North Carolina that it has become a part of the public consciousness.” In 2014 the State Supreme Court decided against hearing an appeal from the Nieses, whose lawsuit against Emerald Isle had the potential to limit public access to large stretches of North Carolina’s over 300 miles of shoreline.

If the Supreme Court had ruled for the Nieses, the consequences would have been profound. It would have meant that every jurisdiction on the entire North Carolina coast would have to go to literally thousands of beachfront property owners and reach some kind of understanding concerning an easement, a consent agreement, or a highly contested and expensive eminent domain payment. Thanks to the well-established public trust doctrine, the Supreme Court denied the Nieses’ second petition in 2017.

In the early 1980s, as construction of more beachfront homes hindered public access, North Carolina’s Division of Coastal Management (NCDCM) started offering grants to local coastal governments (counties and towns) for projects to provide public pedestrian access to the state’s beaches and waterways. This was an effort to alleviate some of the concerns around public access to the ocean and other coastal waters.

These grants fund public access facilities such as parking, restrooms, dune crossovers, and piers. Projects range in size from small, local access areas with nothing but dune crossovers and no parking, to neighborhood sites with a few parking spots and no facilities, to regional access sites with large parking lots, restrooms (some with showers), and even picnic shelters. Grants also fund waterfront sites located on estuarine shorelines, coastal rivers, and urban waterfronts — some with parking and facilities.

There is some disagreement concerning the total number of access points. The actual percentage of publicly owned shoreline in North Carolina is also uncertain. While NCDCM staff estimate that approximately 40 percent of coastal lands are publicly owned, they also state that about 95 percent of “private” beaches are publicly accessible, which seems unlikely. Some estimates suggest one public access site for every 16 miles of shoreline, but again, NCDCM staff estimates are very different, indicating coastal access points about every half mile in urban areas and every 2 miles in rural areas.

A survey conducted by NCDCM in 2003 and 2004 identified some 550 state-supported public access points, 6,256 parking spaces at lots and street ends, and 43 restroom facilities along the state’s ocean beaches and waters. Even with the lack of consistency in pinpointing the total number of access points, it is true that the state has taken its role as steward seriously for at least some continuing and established public access to the state’s beaches and other coastal waterways. It remains to be seen if this stewardship will remain intact under financial and political influences.

Previous State of the Beach reports (published by the Surfrider Foundation, an organization “dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans and beaches”) listed a total of around 270 public beach access points, which tended to be clustered around a few population centers. The National Seashore also provides several access sites, and local governments provide over 400 additional water access sites. Some beachfront communities like Wrightsville Beach charge for parking, especially during peak season, effectively blocking free access to the water.

These parking charges, which are costly for many visitors, directly negate the long-held “public trust doctrine” ensuring the public’s free access to the water and especially impact visitors with limited resources and incomes.

Who has access to the beach and who does not is an important question that has caused distress and many conflicts among citizens, big business, special interest groups, and the government for a long time. The long-held legacy of free access has not been afforded equally to everyone, especially to locals and visitors wanting to experience the solitude and serenity of the shoreline of the Outer Banks.

Opinions expressed by the author may not be those of Coastal Review or our publisher, the North Carolina Coastal Federation.

Coastal Review will not publish Monday, Jan. 1.

Nine coastal communities have been awarded more than $2.8 million to improve public accesses to beaches and waters.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management announced Monday the awards for fiscal 2023-24.

“This funding makes our coasts more accessible to all North Carolina residents and visitors, so everyone has the opportunity to enjoy our natural resources,” NCDEQ Secretary Elizabeth S. Biser said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with local governments and communities to support projects that also benefit our coastal economy.”

The Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program provides matching funds to local governments in the 20 coastal counties. Governments that receive grants must match them by contributing at least 25% toward the project’s cost. Funding for the grant program comes from the North Carolina General Assembly through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

Carolina Beach received $600,000 for the acquisition of three adjacent parcels on Canal Drive on the north end of town to provide parking and access to the beach and Freeman Park.

Washington received $800,000 to complete renovations to the 1,981-foot boardwalk along the Washington Wetlands Boardwalk.

Holden Beach received $420,000 for development of Block Q. This project will create new restrooms and parking for beach access, a boat ramp, and public entertainment area. The project also includes landscaping and stormwater improvements.

Hyde County received $108,900 to complete boardwalk renovations at Far Creek Boardwalk along Far Creek in Englehard.

Kure Beach received $71,025 to replace the existing 8-foot wide, 134-foot long wooden walkway with a 10-foot wide Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible walkway to the beach at Public Beach Access No. 140, and $62,700 to replace the existing 8-footwide 97-foot long wooden walkway with a 10-foot wide, Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant walkway to the beach to Public Beach Access No. 99.

Nags Head received $89,313 for improvements to the Governor Street Public Beach Access. Improvements include a new ADA-compliant elevated dune crossover with associative ADA-compliant parking stalls, and a shower station upfit.

Sunset Beach received $460,734 total to renovate the existing beach accesses at 29th, 34th and 37th streets.

Surf City received $10,875 for updates to the Broadway Street Access Site. This project will update the existing public restrooms and outdoor showers to meet federal accessibility standards, pave dedicated handicapped accessible parking spaces and walkways to the restrooms and beach accessway.

Winton received $189,325 for improvements to the Winton Town Park. Improvements include construction of a new fishing pier with boat slips; replacement of the decking on the existing boardwalk; renovation of the restrooms to meet federal accessibility specifications; paving of dedicated handicapped accessible parking spaces and walkways to the restrooms and water accessway; and the addition of riprap to shoreline to secure the eroding shoreline.

The program has awarded 497 grants totaling more than $53.8 million to improve public waterfront access sites since it began in 1981. For more information about the program, go to the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access website.

Access projects may include walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers and related projects. Funds also may be used for land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization. Division of Coastal Management staff selected the recipients based on criteria set by the Coastal Resources Commission.

State recreational water quality officials on Tuesday lifted water quality swimming advisories at two Bogue Sound sites in Morehead City.

The advisories were lifted because water testing showed that bacteria levels were below the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s standards set for swimming and water play.

The first advisory was posted July 7 at the public access at 16^th Street, and the second was posted July 25 at the public access Sunset Drive. Officials said these areas showed a monthly average of the bacteria enterococci above the EPA-mandated level of 35 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water, the standard for high-use sites.

Subsequent testing of water samples collected at these sites found that bacteria levels had fallen below the standard. The signs advising against swimming, skiing or otherwise coming into contact with the water were removed.

Enterococci, the bacteria group used for testing, is found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. While it is not known to cause illness, scientific studies show that enterococci may indicate the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standards have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections.

Coastal recreational waters in North Carolina are generally clean, officials said, noting, however, that it is important to continue monitoring them and inform the public of any localized problems.

The North Carolina Recreational Water Quality Program samples 215 sites in coastal waters of the state, most of them on a weekly basis from April through October.

This story has been updated.

Ahh, the beach walkover.

They’re as common along North Carolina’s developed ocean shorelines as seashells scattered on the sand.

These typically wooden structures built to link private properties to the beach could, like the waters at low tide, eventually fade from shores.

The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission earlier this year submitted to the state Rules Review Committee proposed amendments that will allow coastal towns and counties, government agencies and private beachfront property owners to choose an alternative to traditional accessway structures – the beach mat.

These portable, wood-like mats can be rolled out over sand to create a surface suitable for feet and wheels. And, they may reduce debris typically left behind from walkovers damaged and destroyed during coastal storms.

The committee has given the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management an Aug. 15 deadline to submit technical corrections to the proposed rules, according to division officials.

“If the RRC staff are satisfied with DCM’s responses, the proposed amendments will be on the RRC September agenda,” division officials said in an emailed statement. “If the proposed amendments are approved, the effective date will be Oct 1^st.”

The use of beach mats has in recent years have been gaining traction in North Carolina beach towns as a way to provide wheelchair accessibility from public accesses to the shore.

Carolina Beach and Kure Beach in New Hanover County and Topsail Beach in Pender County have in recent years received variances from the commission to install matting on the beach seaward of the frontal dune, which is just landward of the beach, and to enhance handicap accessibility on the shore.

The Coastal Resources Commission in 2021 amended the rules to allow beach matting for public accesses only. Until that rule change, only elevated, pile-supported structures built out no farther than the seaward toe of a frontal dune, those at the landward of the beach, were allowed.

That limited the use of beach mats to local, state and federal governments, a decision made at the urging of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Those agencies were concerned the use beach mats waterward of the frontal dune might adversely affect sea turtle habitat.

The latest proposed rule changes would allow beach mats on the dry sand beach without a variance from the commissions long as they’re sponsored by a local government to provide handicap accessibility to the shoreline. The placement of those mats is subject to review by state and federal wildlife agencies.

Division of Coastal Management officials explained in an email responding to Coastal Review’s questions that, under the proposed rule amendment, private property owners can install beach mats without a permit if they comply with the standards set for structural accessways. Mats must be no wider than 6 feet, no farther waterward than 6 feet from the toe of the dune, and must not require excavation or fill.

“Residential application of matting material will need to adhere to the same standards previously approved for government entities, including installation at grade and prohibiting extension onto the public trust beach,” according to the division. “We anticipate that beachfront property owners will maintain these mats because of their personal financial investment in the mats. While there will likely be some debris resulting from storm displacement and/or long-term deterioration/abandonment of some access mats, we are hopeful that the overall amount of marine debris associated with coastal storms will be reduced by replacing the wood and metal materials associated with traditional walkovers, including boards, nails/screws, wires, and other materials.”

The division is to work with local governments and local permitting officers “to monitor this closely and ensure that any mats not conforming to the State rules are brought into compliance (or they will need to go through the proper permitting process).”

While the division has not seen a boost in requests from private property owners to install beach mats, it “has seen an uptick in unpermitted use of access mats along the coast over the past few years.”

“In North Carolina we are seeing the need and the request more and more for Mobi-mats,” said Sandrine Carpentier, managing director of Mobi-mats, an outdoor portable access surfaces manufacturer in New Jersey.

Mobi-mats have been growing in popularity, she said, because they are easy to install and remove, have demonstrated they can withstand coastal storms, and are more cost efficient than traditional beach access structures.

The average cost of a beach mat is about $42 per foot in length, according to the division. Structural accessways cost on average of $333 per linear foot.

Mobi-mats come with anchoring accessories, are made of recycled plastics and are 100% recyclable, Carpentier said. Their life span ranges between seven to 10 years, after which time they may be returned to the manufacturer where they will be recycled and used to make new matting.

Holden Beach West Property Owners Association President Chad Hock is anxiously awaiting what he hopes will be a final approval by the Rules Review Commission of the rule amendments.

“We’re transitioning 100 percent with Mobi-mats as soon as we can do it,” he said.

The gated community on the Brunswick County barrier island has mats or a hybrid of wooden walkways and stairs and matting at all seven of its beach accesses after receiving temporary approval to do so by the Coastal Resources Commission and the town.

Using beach mats comes down to three factors, Hock said: cost, convenience and that they do not cause the damage structural accessways do during coastal storms.

Structural beach accesses are one of two of the association’s biggest expenditures, Hock said. It costs anywhere between $30,000 and $50,000 to rebuild wooden walkways and stairs damaged in coastal storms. Property owners in the gated community must also pay to maintain the private roads in the community.

“When a hurricane is coming, we can actually roll up our walkway, put it away and not lose our walkway,” Hock said. “It’s also better for the overall dunes in the end. The honest truth is the way that the wood and everything was done there, there was a lot more damage issues that came with it.”

One of the community’s beach mats did break loose during a storm and was found on a neighboring beach, he said. The mat, intact and with little damage, was returned to the owners association and replaced along the accessway.

Chris Driver, an association manager with Seaside Management Inc. in Kitty Hawk, was first introduced to beach mats when he began recently managing a couple of communities in Duck.

The oceanfront communities of Osprey and Sea Ridge both use mats at their private accesses to the beach.

The mats were rolled up and removed to clear the way for beach nourishment and replaced after the project was completed.

“For the most part, it just makes the walking to the beach tremendously easier for everybody, but especially elderly,” Driver said. “They’re very easy to roll up. One man can definitely do most of the work. They’re pretty easy to work with.”

Coastal management officials advise beachfront property owners to contact their local Division of Coastal Management office or local permitting officer with questions regarding the use of beach mats.

MOREHEAD CITY – State recreational water quality officials on Wednesday lifted a water quality swimming advisory for a soundside swimming area near Otway in Carteret County.

Officials announced that the advisory was lifted because water testing showed that bacteria levels had dropped below the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s standards set for swimming and water play.

The advisory was posted July 7 at the public swimming area at the west end of North River Bridge off U.S. 70. Test results of water samples taken July 5 and July 6 showed bacteria levels exceeding 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water, the standard for recreational use coastal waters. Test results of water samples from the site now show bacteria levels below the state and federal recreational water quality standards.

The sign advising against swimming, skiing or otherwise coming into contact with the water has been removed, officials said.

Enterococci, the bacteria group used for testing, is found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. While it is not known to cause illness, scientific studies show that enterococci may indicate the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standards have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections.

Coastal recreational waters in North Carolina are generally clean. However, it is important to continue monitoring them and to informed of any localized problems. The N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program samples 215 sites in coastal waters of the state, most of them on a weekly basis from April through October.

For more information on the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program or to a view a map of testing sites, visit the program’s website, and follow the program’s Twitter feed.

State recreational water quality officials posted a swim advisory Friday at the public access at the Lennoxville Boat Ramp in Beaufort because bacteria levels in Taylors Creek exceed the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.

Test results from water samples taken June 28 and June 29 indicate that bacteria levels exceed the state and federal action levels of 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters for Tier 2 nondaily use sites, officials said Friday. Swimming areas are classified based on recreational use and are referred to as tiers.

Those swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the action level have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections. 

The advisory is not a beach closing, nor does the include all of the Taylors Creek area. Swimming advisories are for waters within 200 feet of the sign.

The North Carolina Recreational Water Quality Program tests water quality at ocean and sound beaches in accordance with federal and state laws.

Enterococci, the bacteria group used for testing, is found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. While it does not cause illness, scientific studies show that enterococci may indicate the presence of other disease-causing organisms.

State officials will continue testing the site, and they will remove the sign and notify the public again when the bacteria levels decrease to levels below the standards.

For more information on the program or to a view a map of testing sites, visit the website or the program’s Twitter feed.

First in a series on the Albemarle region’s environmental-economic connections.

Standing on a bluff overlooking the Chowan River at Bertie County’s Tall Glass of Water outdoor education site, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein spoke last month about the North Carolina Environmental Enhancement Grants, or EEGs, what they have meant to communities, and what they have meant to him personally.

Stein, speaking during the May 4 event, said awarding EEGs is one of the most fun things he gets to do as attorney general. Addressing organizations selected for the EEGs, he said being able to support the good work of community organizations and civically minded folks was tremendous.

“To see these funds pour back into North Carolina … using a whole variety of different strategies … It’s my privilege to be able to do this work and it’s certainly my pleasure to do this work,” Stein said.

Earlier this year: State announces millions for park accessibility grants

The EEG program was part of a binding agreement in 2000 between Smithfield Foods and the state calling for the hog producer to phase out the use of open-air hog lagoons. As part of that agreement, Smithfield agreed to provide up to $2 million per year for 25 years of environmental projects across the state.

The EEG program began distributing grants in 2002.

“So far, we’ve done something like 210 projects in excess of $40 million,” Stein said.

Stein noted in his remarks that most, though not all, of the Environmental Enhancement Grants have been focused on eastern North Carolina, and the grants he came to Bertie County to talk about are specific to the area. The Albemarle Resource Conservation and Development Council received a grant to study algal blooms on the Chowan River, and the Audubon Society is applying a $98,000 grant to wetland restoration in Currituck County.

For many of the grants, the most apparent outcomes are visible. That is the case at Tall Glass of Water, as trails are cleared and much-needed unimpeded access to the beach becomes a reality.

For Bertie County, a Tier 1, or most-distressed county on the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s ranking of counties’ economic well-being, and facing a recent spate of violent crime, six murders this year, at least one of the grants may come to represent the human benefits of environmental enhancements.

The EEG funding for the Bertie County Hive House Virtual Learning Center at 103 Mitchell St. in Lewiston Woodville will create a green space from 4 acres of meadow, overgrown with invasive species and with limited access. But for Vivian Saunders, executive director of the Hive House, the grant, she explained to Stein, is more than just open space for the small town on the west side of the county.

Saunders spoke about “the unfortunate deaths” in Bertie County in the last couple of months, referring to the six homicides in 2023.

“What we’re going to try to do is … get our young people involved in some outdoor workforce-development training so we can get them outside (instead) of playing games and being on video games,” she said. “We’re trying to transform our young people’s minds from sitting in the house staying on video games to being back outside and around nature.”

Saunder’s remarks sparked an almost immediate response from Stein.

“That’s a wonderful articulation of the relationship of kids and mental health and nature,” he said.

Lewiston Woodville was once a small but thriving crossroads town. That was a long time ago. The few businesses that once lined the streets are now closed and falling into disrepair. The only open business by the crossroads is a gas station and convenience store. The paint on the front of the building is chipped and fading. On the west side of town is natural gas infrastructure where maintenance work in May produced a seemingly ceaseless din of venting gas and flame that resembled the sound of a jet engine.

The Bertie County Hive House, at the corner of Mitchell and Cashie streets, is just off the town crossroads. It is a rambling old house that Saunders has made into a gathering place for anyone who wants to come.

The house, Saunders said, was donated to her by her pastor, Dr. Gary Cordon. When she first got it, the house was not in very good shape, but a grant from Perdue Farms, the largest employer in Bertie County, paid for its rehabilitation.

“Perdue, they did the total renovations,” she emphasized.

The Hive House, as Saunders describes it, is a safe place, a shelter where people can come for whatever reason, and she added that space is available at almost any time, day or night.

“If you need somewhere to work, or chill, you can just give me a call: ‘Vivian, can I get into the Hive?’ And my people will come and unlock it,” she said.

For Saunders, the issues confronting the county have their roots in poverty and the hopelessness it creates, and she is uncompromising as she paints a picture of the impact on the county’s youth.

“You’re telling me, sitting in school, that I’ve got the whole world ahead of me. And then I go home, and some folks don’t have toilets. I’m in a mobile home, where I can see the dog running underneath. I don’t have lights on. Sometime my mom and dad are working so hard, I don’t get to see them,” Saunders said describing the county’s poverty.

She points out that the county has one of the state’s highest rates of juvenile diabetes related to obesity, an observation that is confirmed in the 2018 Bertie County Community Health Assessment, and to her the key is getting young adults and kids off social media and back outside.

“We got to get these babies back outside, loving nature, loving the community,” she said. “Kids don’t go outside. They want to be on MacBooks, phones and computers. One of the things that I’m going to require (on the green space work), you’ve got to leave that phone alone. You’ve got to go outside. Our project is to actually build that park.”

The work is still in its earliest stages. The design for the 4-acre green space is being handled by North Carolina State University landscape architecture and environmental planning professor Kofi Boone. He agreed that there is concern about the overall health of the community.

“The health disparities facing Bertie County broadly and Lewiston-Woodville specifically are alarming,” he wrote in an email response to Coastal Review. “That includes all sectors but especially seniors and young people. Vivian Saunders and Hive House have also expressed the need for young people to belong to the process and the transformation and see opportunities to look at workforce development associated with green space transformation.

Asked what the potential impact of creating a community green space could be, Boone was cautiously optimistic.

“The issues facing towns like Lewiston-Woodville are complex and beyond the scope of what one green space can solve on its own,” he wrote. “However, green space that can reflect and reinforce community values can engender a spirit of stewardship and care that can offer safe, and healthy open space for people to enjoy.”

That sense of cautious optimism is shared by Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin.

“If people utilize it, yes, it will be a good thing for our county,” he said. “But do I think that is the solution to (all) issues? The answer’s no.”

Boone, however, does see the outdoor space as an important component in addressing the overall health of the community. He noted that the health concerns raised by Saunders could potentially be affected by an outdoor area for the community.

“The town does not currently have a public green space. From research, we know that a lack of access to green space can contribute to a lack of physical activity and poorer health outcomes. We know that well designed green space can help support improved physical health and mental wellbeing,” Boone wrote.

The field is going to take some work to create something usable. There are numerous ways to remove invasive species and Boone has not yet come to a decision on the best method.

“We’re going to be working with a number of partners to determine the right approach to handling invasive species. The treatments can vary,” he wrote.

There is also, evidently, material from what was once the West Bertie Elementary School that closed in the 1970s, according to Boone.

Graduate students from the N.C. State School of Landscape Architecture will be on hand to supervise the work, at times spending the night at the Hive House. Saunders mentioned that they are donating their time, and that the only request they made was, “all they’ve asked us to do is keep the fridge full for us.”

The project is still in its earliest stages, yet for Saunders even as the initial steps are taken, she sees hope in the willingness of people to work together to improve conditions in a troubled county.

“I want to thank everyone involved in helping us transform and take back our county from all the negativity that’s been going on,” she said.

Next in the series: A Tall Glass of Water.

ATLANTIC BEACH – Numerous oceanfront property owners here are banding together in a developing legal dispute over who owns the dry sand beach in front of their houses.

An attorney representing the owners said last week that he hopes the state attorney general will intervene to protect the public’s rights.

The dispute arose last month after a Cape Carteret resident, who also has an apparently dormant real estate business website for a firm in Wilson, notified the beachfront property owners and others that he now owns the dunes and that their continued access to the beach amounts to trespassing.

James Anthony Bunn in April registered quitclaim deeds with the county for more than a dozen parcels in Atlantic Beach south, or oceanward, of beach houses and condominiums to the east and west of the boardwalk at the former amusement circle. Bunn’s mailing address is 102 Hunting Bay Drive, Cape Carteret, according to county records. Last year, he also registered deeds on parcels in Down East Carteret County. 

All show sales prices of zero dollars or minimal exchanges, such as $10 in consideration, with no county revenue stamps paid. Attorneys who prepared the deeds noted that no title work was requested or performed. 

Unlike warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds in North Carolina carry no guarantee of title.

Some of the individual oceanfront parcels that Bunn claims to own front multiple beach houses — one as many as five separately owned homesites.

Attorney Rob Wheatly of Beaufort is representing some of the Atlantic Beach property owners whom Bunn had notified of his claim of ownership.

“First, he started by sending out a statement. I don’t know if he sent it to everybody, I know that a couple of people showed me what they had. He wanted them to sign some agreement with him, sort of like a lease where they would be able to continue to go on about the property. He was not going to interfere with their use if they in fact signed that paper. The people we talked to, we told them not to sign it for various legal reasons,” Wheatly told Coastal Review Friday.

Wheatly said that because nobody would sign the agreement, Bunn had since been “stepping it up” to the point where he had posted “no trespassing” signs and was telling people who were accessing the beach that they were trespassing.

Oceanfront property owners told Coastal Review that Bunn was wearing a gun on his hip during their interactions with him. Some described cordial conversations, but others said Bunn acted in an intimidating or threatening manner, allegedly calling one homeowner a “chickenshit,” and that his going armed on the public beach,in the presence of families with children, was out of line.

Coastal Review has obtained two police incident/investigation reports dated April 18 and April 27 involving “verbal disputes” between Bunn and other individuals. Some information in the police reports was redacted.

Bunn, when reached for comment, said his intention in claiming ownership was for his “quiet, personal enjoyment.” He said he had tried unsuccessfully to work with the oceanfront property owners. Bunn then said he didn’t want to answer Coastal Review’s questions and hung up. He then called back shortly after and agreed to answer questions but only by email.

In his email response to Coastal Review’s questions, Bunn said he was, “in the process of evaluating my land for a suitable location to develop a non profit low impact site to provide a covered structure with bathroom facilities, running water electricity and private parking to be used by physically or mentally impa(i)red individuals who could not otherwise peacefully enjoy a day at the beach.”

Bunn did not respond to further questions, including whether he had formed a nonprofit or partnered with an existing organization to provide such services. He also did not respond to questions regarding any discussions he might have had with town officials or staff with the state Division of Coastal Management regarding his development plans.

Atlantic Beach Mayor Trace Cooper told Coastal Review last week that the strip of dunes was once part of a tract known as the Musgrave property, but that land had completely eroded away decades ago.

“I don’t think they are lots anymore. These kinds of ocean parcels have been on the tax maps for a while, but my belief, based on what I remember as a kid in the ’70s and what I’ve heard from everybody, is that those areas eroded away before we began our beach nourishment program. The first beach nourishment was in 1979, and there’s a state statute on point that says oceanfront, basically beaches, if it is created through a publicly funded beach nourishment project, that sand is property of the state, and all the public trust rights that would apply to other parts of the beach would apply to that,” Cooper said.

According to state law, the title to land in or immediately along the Atlantic Ocean raised above the mean high-water mark by publicly financed beach nourishment projects “shall remain open to the free use and enjoyment of the people of the State, consistent with the public trust rights in ocean beaches, which rights are a part of the common heritage of the people of the State.”

Wheatly agreed that the ocean had decades ago washed away the beach, he said up to a seawall that had been placed there sometime in the mid-1950s. The beach has since been nourished several times with sand from the shipping channel in Beaufort Inlet. 

Wheatly said that’s referred to as “avulsion,” where, in this case, there’s a sudden throwing up of spoil next to the ocean or a river, “and by statute that becomes property of the state of North Carolina,” he said.

“The big issue is going to be where these dunes have now been created through the years, or the neighbors putting sand fences or these sorts of things,” Wheatly said. “And of course, the neighbors have been walking across the area down to the water all these many years, and they would have what is referred to as a prescriptive easement to go from their property down to the beach, and that requires a 20-year use. So, if it’s not the state of North Carolina’s public trust lands, then these people certainly would have a prescriptive easement to go to and from their properties the way they’ve been going all those many years.”

Cooper said no town-owned properties are involved in the dispute, only privately owned homes and condos.

“My guess is that he’s trying to be big enough of a problem that these homeowners may just want to pay him off,” Cooper said. “The town is trying to do what we can, but it’s essentially a private property dispute. We are not allowed to spend public money for private benefit, so we couldn’t be the lead plaintiff in this, even if we wanted to be. We probably don’t have standing, but we’re standing by to do anything we can to help these homeowners put this issue to rest.”

Wheatly said that in his discussions with Atlantic Beach town attorney Derek Taylor, the dispute amounted to a beach access issue for the town. 

“I would assume the people that live on the second, third, fourth rows walk through these areas and paths and on all roads going down to the beach. But it can be a real mess, and especially for these renters when they rent their houses, and the guests come there and, all of a sudden, they’re walking down to the ocean and see a sign saying ‘no trespassing.’ It could be a real detriment to everybody,” Wheatly said.

Wheatly said he had spoken about the dispute with the Division of Coastal Management, who had recently put him in touch with the State Property Office.

“We really don’t know where we’re going in this yet, but I assume that eventually, maybe the attorney general will come in and protect the public. If not, then there will probably have to be private litigation,” Wheatly said.

State recreational water quality officials have lifted a water quality swimming advisory for a sound-side swimming area in Dare County.

Officials said Thursday that the advisory was lifted because water testing shows that bacteria levels have dropped below the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s standards set for swimming and water play.

The advisory was posted May 3 at the Sandy Bay sound-side access near Frisco along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Test results of water samples taken May 1 and May 2 showed bacteria levels exceeding 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water, the standard for recreational use coastal waters. Test results of water samples from the site now show bacteria levels below the state and federal recreational water quality standards.

The sign advising against swimming, skiing or otherwise coming into contact with the water has been removed.

Enterococci, the bacteria group used for testing, is found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. While it is not known to cause illness, scientific studies show that enterococci may indicate the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standards have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections.

Coastal recreational waters in North Carolina are generally clean, officials said. However, it is important to continue monitoring them and to inform the public of any localized problems. The N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program samples 215 sites in coastal waters of the state, most of them on a weekly basis from April through October.

For more information on the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program or to a view a map of testing sites, visit the program’s website, and follow the program’s Twitter feed.

MANTEO – Advocates say would-be homebuyers and current oceanfront property owners in North Carolina have long needed clearer rules and updated information as climate change increases the risks of damage and flooding.

Two unrelated, but long-sought actions taken last week by the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission seek to clarify two persistent issues: septic systems on the public beach, and residential flooding.

With two dozen or so septic tanks and their various parts scattered on the beaches of Cape Hatteras National Seashore last year after the collapse of three large beach houses into the ocean in the village of Rodanthe, gaps in regulations and enforcement became glaringly self-evident. Concerns also were renewed that some owners of the damaged or destroyed properties seemed to be uninformed about the risk of beach erosion, storm tides and flood damage.

The commission, which met Thursday in Manteo, voted unanimously to approve an amended septic rule. Although the changes did not address all the complexities of ocean shoreline septic issues, they specify what is allowed in repairing or moving septic systems on an eroding ocean beach, and are the first update since the recent spate of beach house collapses.

According to the updated rule, if a septic system on the oceanfront is battered by storm tide, repairs can be done in place without a permit. Otherwise, the replacement or relocation of any septic system seaward of the vegetation line needs a permit.

“The idea here is we’re trying to get them off the public beach,” Division of Coastal Management Deputy Director Mike Lopazanski said during a presentation at the Coastal Resources Advisory Committee meeting Wednesday in Manteo. The panel advises the commission on local government matters.

Ocean beaches from the foreshore to the low-tide line are in the public trust in North Carolina. That part of the beach within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore is also public land, National Park Service property. The relevant state statute defines the public trust beach as the wet sand area that “is subject to regular flooding by tides and the dry sand area of the beach that is subject to occasional flooding by tides, including wind tides other than those resulting from a hurricane or tropical storm.”

Lopazanski said the amended septic rule also directs the Division of Coastal Management to make allowances for areas impacted by hurricanes and tropical storms, where septic systems may be damaged by overwash or burial of the vegetation line. The systems, which the general statute defines as the septic tank, the pump tank and the ground absorption field, can still be repaired or relocated to restore their function and avoid impacts to the public trust beach, he said.

In decisions to repair or relocate, components are considered separate structures. If they cannot be repaired in place, they would be subject to erosion-rate-based setbacks that apply to other oceanfront structures. Septic systems will not be permitted separately when an owner seeks a permit to build in a coastal zone.

Also, National Flood Insurance Program staff clarified that public funds are not available for moving septic systems, Lopazanski said. Flood insurance payouts are not considered public funds.

A public hearing on the amended rule is expected to be held in early fall.

Flood history disclosure

After another presentation by Department of Environmental Quality Assistant General Counsel Christine A. Goebel about a petition for rulemaking with the N.C. Real Estate Commission that is proposing to add information about a property’s flood history and flood risk to the real estate disclosure form, the commission agreed to send a letter in support of the changes to the Real Estate Commission.

Outer Banks Association of Realtors Government Affairs Director Donna Creef said that the Outer Banks agents were concerned about access to flood information, some of which may be available only to engineers. Flood history also may not be available to a broker, or be limited by privacy strictures. She noted that buyers should be advised of the value of having a flood insurance policy, no matter the requirement in the designated flood zone.

Coastal Resources Advisory Committee member Spencer Rogers, a coastal erosion specialist who retired last year after 40 years with N.C. Sea Grant, recommended including the beach erosion rate in disclosures. He suggested including information about a provision in state law that requires a builder to move a property that is imminently threatened for a period of eight years. The threat could be mitigated by beach protections such as sandbags or beach nourishment. Rogers said that to his knowledge, the requirement had never been applied.

The commission agreed to add the additional information to the letter of support for the disclosure requirement changes.

The rulemaking petition was filed in January by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of five nonprofit organizations and asks the Real Estate Commission to update the disclosure form with five additional questions that would require a seller or the seller’s agent to disclose the flood information.

As it’s now written, the Real Estate Commission’s disclosure statement — the sole required disclosure document by sellers to prospective buyers — does not include information about flooding.

“The current Disclosure Statement does not solicit adequate information related to a property’s flood history and flood risk,” the proposed rule amendment said. “A home that has flooded once is likely to flood again. Providing homebuyers with information about the potential flood risk that comes with a home will enable buyers to take appropriate steps to mitigate damages, including by purchasing flood insurance.”

According to the petition, North Carolina experienced 4,382 flooding events between 1996 and 2021, resulting in 72 deaths and nearly $1.7 billion in property and crop damage.

“Many North Carolina counties have experienced increased catastrophic flooding in recent years, with some experiencing multiple major flooding disasters,” according to the document. “Since 1977, North Carolina has seen 29 major federal disasters declared for events that caused major flood damage in one or more counties.”

In her presentation, Goebel said that a study in 2021, “North Carolina Coastal Hazards Disclosures in Real Estate Transactions,” by then-third-year University of North Carolina law student Anderson Tran, recommended that North Carolina build on the disclosure form used by Texas, which was called one of the best in the country.

The proposed rule changes were published in the March 15 North Carolina Register. Comments will be accepted through May 15, and the proposed effective date is July 1.

The state has around $3 million available to help local governments improve public access to coastal beaches and waters for fiscal 2023-24.

The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management is accepting proposals until 5 p.m. April 28 for the funding through the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program, which provides matching funds to local governments in 20 coastal counties to construct low-cost public access facilities.  

Access projects may include walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers and related projects. The money also may be used for land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization.

Applicants will be notified by May 14 if their proposal, or preapplication, is selected to submit a final application anticipated to be due in August. All final applicants will be notified this fall if their project has been selected for funding.

Funding for the grant program comes from the North Carolina General Assembly through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

Staff with the state Division of Coastal Management select recipients based on criteria set by the state Coastal Resources Commission. The grant program has provided more than $51 million for more than 481 public waterfront access sites since the program began in 1981. 

For more information about the Public Access Grant application process, go to the DEQ website.

The state Division of Coastal Management has about $3 million available to help local governments in 20 coastal counties improve public access to coastal beaches and waters.

The funds are for the 2023-24 fiscal year through the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program, which provides matching funds to local governments to construct low-cost public access facilities.

“These funds allow the division to continue supporting coastal communities in their efforts to provide public access to the state beaches and waterfronts.” Braxton Davis, director of the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, said in a statement.

Local governments interested in applying for financial assistance must submit a preapplication to the Division of Coastal Management by 5 p.m. on April 28 and will be notified by May 14 if their proposal is selected to submit a final application.

Final applications will most likely be due in August. All final applicants will be notified in the fall of this year if their project has been selected for funding. Staff with the state Division of Coastal Management select recipients based on criteria set by the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission.

For more information about the Public Access Grant application process, go to the DEQ website. 

Funding for the grant program comes from the North Carolina General Assembly through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. Access projects may include walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers and related projects. Funds also may be used for land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization.

The grant program has provided more than $51 million for more than 481 public waterfront access sites since the program began in 1981. 

For more information about the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program, go to the DEQ website.                                                                     

Local and state governments, as well as accredited universities and colleges in North Carolina can apply for grants to fund fishing access and education projects that help manage, protect, restore, develop, cultivate and enhance the state’s marine resources.

The state Division of Marine Fisheries will accept applications for proposals until 5 p.m. Dec. 15 for the 2023-2024 funding cycle through the North Carolina Marine Resources Fund.

The fund receives proceeds from the sale of coastal recreational fishing licenses and provides grants for the projects that are to enhance public fishing access and opportunities as well as support public outreach and education, which officials say are essential to management of marine resources and habitats.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the North Carolina Marine Resources Fund and Marine Resources Endowment Fund Strategic Plan. Projects submitted for funding will only be considered if they address the specific priority need — access and education — listed within the Request for Proposals.

The strategic plan and Request for Proposals, which include submission guidelines, can found on the Division of Marine Fisheries’ website.

Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

For more information, contact Coastal Recreational Fishing License Project Coordinator Jamie Botinovch, at 252-808-8004 or Jamie.Botinovch@ncdenr.gov.

Summer Michaud-Skog has called a small coastal town in Oregon home the last few years during the pandemic.

Before the world stopped, she had been traveling the country in her mother’s old minivan, establishing chapters of Fat Girls Hiking and finding accessible hiking trails.

Fat Girls Hiking, a group she founded in the mid-2010s, is described as a nationwide fat activism, body liberation and outdoor community to take the stigma out of the word fat and empower people to live their best life. Fat Girls Hiking has more than 37,000 Instagram followers and nearly three dozen official chapters across the country.

After Michaud-Skog’s cross-country trip, she was approached by Timber Press in Portland, Oregon, to write about the Fat Girls Hiking community. “Fat Girls Hiking: An Inclusive Guide to Getting Outdoors at Any Size or Ability” was published March 29 and is available online.

In 2014 when Michaud-Skog, who is now in her early 40s, and her girlfriend at the time began hiking frequently, she didn’t often see people that looked like her on the trails or on outdoor-focused social media.

“I am a queer, fat, heavily tattooed woman with chronic pain who hikes in dresses,” Michaud-Skog writes early in the book. “I don’t have money for ‘proper’ outdoor gear and most of it doesn’t even come in my size, so I get by with what’s available.”

She wrote that often during their hikes, especially during challenging sections, they would sing “we’re just two fat girls hiking.” It made them laugh. “It was a comfort to know that it didn’t matter to us that we were fat girls hiking, we just loved being outside.”

The next year, in 2015, Michaud-Skog began looking for diversity in outdoor social media. She decided to create the Instagram account, Fat Girls Hiking. “I shared photographs and wrote about trails, campsites and road trips.” She also has a Fat Girls Hiking Facebook page. The community grew through the online presence, evolving into in-person meetups.

In the book, she stresses that the goal of Fat Girls Hiking is not to lose weight but to create a community “where fat folks could be outdoors together.” She uses the phrase, “Trails Not Scales” to emphasize the importance of “a fat outdoor community that isn’t focused on weight-loss or diet talk.”

Michaud-Skog, who spent her youth in rural Minnesota, and others in the Fat Girls Hiking community share in the book how they found their place outdoors.

“The FGH community is full of people with lots of different identities and backgrounds who come together to support one another and find joy and healing in one another’s company,” she writes. “Each member is finding their own ways to connect to the outdoors.”

She also writes advice on how to hike, what to wear, equipment, what to bring and other ways to make hiking in larger bodies more comfortable, which can be applied to many outdoor activities.

In a recent interview with Coastal Review, Michaud-Skog explained that though the name is Fat Girls Hiking, the community is not just for fat girls and not just hiking. Instead it’s pushing back on the idea of who representation in the outdoors, and to redefine what it means to be a hiker and to hike.

“It doesn’t have to be a certain mile. It doesn’t have to be a certain elevation gain, I think the most important thing is to go somewhere,” she said, whatever is accessible, if it’s the wetlands, old-growth forests, “find something that excites you.”

The “gatekeepers,” as she calls them, can happen in any industry and are those saying you have to do this a certain way and be wearing a certain thing, otherwise it’s not considered a real hike.

“For me, it’s a hike if you’re outside walking in nature. It’s a hike, and I think it’s the intention. You don’t have to let other people define what the hike is,” she said.

Michaud-Skog said that you can use mobile apps or Google to find features that pique your interest and stir the motivation.

“I really got into birding when the pandemic started, so that was really exciting to me,” she said, “I honestly never thought that would interest me but now I am fascinated with different types of birds.”

She bought binoculars and a book on birds and spent a lot of time outdoors birdwatching, she said.

It’s a fun activity to do outside, she continued, and feels like the pace of the activity, particularly for slower hikers, those with chronic pain or a disability, is pretty accessible, especially if you have like a place to sit. “And it’s a really cool connection to nature because you get to see birds up close. To me, it’s exciting.”

Michaud-Skog explained that hiking also motivated her try other outdoor activities.

“I think it really inspired me to try things that I didn’t think that I could do because of the size of my body. Would it be different? And how would it be different?” she said. “I think for me doing a lot of research on a particular activity that I want to try before I would do it is really helpful.”

She cited kayaking and paddleboarding as examples of popular activities on the coast that may seem inaccessible for some body types.

“There are things you need to think about with something like kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding,” such as, is there a weight limit? “This is something that I think people who maybe aren’t fat or plus size, they wouldn’t even think about … that it might not even work for somebody who’s a certain way.”

Michaud-Skog leads retreats where participants do more than hike, and she has to call ahead and ask if the equipment works for people who are this size or that size.

“And so for me, I think the easiest way for me to feel more comfortable in taking up space is to have the information that I will need in order to feel comfortable, or at least know what to expect when I get to the outfitter, or get to the place where I’m going to rent a kayak. Do they even have gear that’s going to accommodate me? That’s really important.”

Many don’t want to put themselves in an uncomfortable place by trying something new, but Michaud-Skog said doing so was an experience of personal growth for her.

“Even if maybe I didn’t do well, because a lot of times trying new things — especially if you’re not a person who’s represented usually in kayaking or watersports — you’re probably not going to be good at it,” she said. That can be really hard for some, but the confidence comes after, not when you’re doing it.

She said people tell her all the time that the outdoors is for everyone, and she fully agrees, “but the thing that’s tricky is (that) we’re not all represented in the same way,” and that’s especially true for people who have access needs, including wheelchair users or those with chronic pain.

If a person wants to get outdoors, Michaud-Skog said its critical to know what their body needs and not allow shame to interfere with those needs.

“If you’re outdoors and need to sit down, there’s nothing wrong with that,” she said, adding that while it may not look like how other people hike a trail, it’s what you need, and once we are able to meet our own needs, we grow trust and confidence. “Plus, having that connection with nature is so special. It really improves our mental well-being,” Michaud-Skog continued.

It’s also good for the environment, she added.

“I think (that) if more people are in love with nature, more people are going to want to protect it,” she said. “The more people we have in the world who say ‘I want to protect natural spaces, and I want future generations to have access to this’ — that’s really important to me, too — but it starts with people being able to feel comfortable to go out there and take up that space and see the amazing beauty that nature has to offer.”

Reprinted from Outer Banks Voice

Bob Hovey, the Duck business owner who has waged a three-year legal battle for public beach access in the town, acknowledged that this battle has come to an end. But the war, he indicated, is not over.

Related: Confrontation stirs beach access debate

In a Facebook post on the evening of March 15, Hovey wrote that, “We regret to inform everyone that the Supreme Court of North Carolina has decided not to hear our case and the Appellate Courts decision to overturn the Public Beach Access will stand as law at Sea Breeze Drive for now. Unfortunately, this will have a big impact on several disputed beach accesses throughout Dare County and North Carolina.”

Hovey, who has for years led a crusade for public beach access in the northern Outer Banks town, filed the lawsuit in 2019, several months after being arrested and charged with second-degree trespassing when attempting to use the access at the end of Sea Breeze Drive. These charges were later dropped.

He argued in the suit that a beach access in the Sand Dollar Shores subdivision is in the public trust, but on April 6, 2020, a North Carolina Court of Appeals reversed an earlier decision from a Camden County Superior Court Judge and ruled that the Sea Breeze beach access in the subdivision is private. Almost immediately, Hovey announced his intention to appeal to the N.C. Supreme Court.

Related: Court determines Duck access isn’t public

In the March 15 Facebook post signed by Hovey and his wife Tanya, he said that their “immediate plans” include an intent to petition “the Town of Duck to create additional state-owned roadside parking, handicapped access, and cooperation from elected officials in maintaining accessible opportunity at Plover Drive as the public has enjoyed for nearly 50 years as a publicly deeded access.”

He added that there will be an effort to convince officials at the Duck Research Pier “to return the former public parking lot, picnic gazebo, and 4×4 vehicle access to a public access” and to re-open the former Duck Pier Public Beach. And he pledged to “use the attention and publicity this case has gained to seek any and all opportunities to create access to the beautiful beaches in Duck, Dare County, North Carolina, and beyond for the public to enjoy.”

“The fight for access in Duck is far from over,” he added in the final paragraph of the lengthy post.

This story is provided courtesy of the Outer Banks Voice, a digital newspaper covering the Outer Banks. Coastal Review is partnering with the Voice to provide readers with more environmental and lifestyle stories of interest about our coast.

The Onslow County Board of Commissioners and the North Topsail Beach Board of Aldermen have scheduled a joint special meeting next week to discuss the town’s desire for money from county occupancy tax coffers to pay for beach nourishment.

The meeting is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday in the commissioners’ chambers at the Onslow County Government Center, 234 NW Corridor Blvd., Jacksonville. No action is to be taken during the meeting.

The session is a follow-up to a discussion earlier this year about the county providing North Topsail Beach financial help with beach nourishment.

According to the county’s public notice, the county and North Topsail Beach boards are meeting to discuss tourism funding and the appropriate use of funds from the county’s room tax and a dune restoration project at the county beach access No. 4 at 484 New River Inlet Road, across from the town park.

North Topsail Beach in March put in place paid parking at all town-controlled parking areas to collect revenue to pay for regular beach maintenance and nourishment. Failure to pay the $5 hourly or $25 daily parking fee can result in a $50 fine.

For decades, Onslow County has provided free public beach accesses in North Topsail Beach and distributed funding from county tourism revenues to offset the town’s costs for providing beach parking. The town’s move to charge for parking led to a dispute over its use of these funds to pay rent for parking areas in which the town was charging for parking.

Adding to the tension between town and county officials, North Topsail Beach had not included in its dune restoration plan the dune area in front of a county beach access. County officials applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a separate dune restoration permit for that area, but FEMA responded that the entire North Topsail Beach project was to be covered under a single contract.

Reprinted from OBX Today

A walkway to the Atlantic Ocean in Duck isn’t open to the public after all, according to a ruling issued this week by the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

A soundside boat launch area in Rodanthe will be closed most of the spring and into the summer while a new ramp and dock are built and asphalt is poured to create a parking lot.

The boat launch at the end of Myrna Peters Road is a natural boating launching area that provides access to the Pamlico Sound, directly north of the emergency ferry dock.

Construction of the new boat ramp will begin on April 5 and should be completed in about 90 days. The area will stay closed for 60 more days while work on the roadway and parking is completed, according to Dare County.

The new ramp will have a two-lane boat dock with a 60-foot-long center floating dock and courtesy platform. The ramp will extend 17 feet into the water of the T-shaped harbor that will connect with a federal navigation channel called Blackmar Gut before leading into the Pamlico Sound.

New asphalt will be poured for 14-16 parking spaces for vehicles with trailers and a 30-foot-long vegetated buffer will be constructed along the southern edge of the boat ramp.

Construction of Phase 1 of the project, which includes the boat ramps, dock and bulkhead, will be performed by an in-house North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission crew. Phase 2 will be a contracted project for all upland parking lot work and related site work. There are no wetlands impacts proposed by the project.

Plans for the proposed boat ramp and dock have been underway since March 2017, when Dare County hosted a public open house at the Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Community Building to present and gain feedback on two potential boat ramp layouts.

The land where the Rodanthe Boating Access Area will be constructed is owned by Dare County, which has partnered with the Wildlife Resources Commission on the project. For more information, visit www.DareNC.com/Projects or contact project manager Brent Johnson at Brent.Johnson@DareNC.com or 252-475-5628.

The parking lot of a heavily used boat access in Dare County will be closed for about two months for renovations take place, including new measures to reduce polluted stormwater runoff into Roanoke Sound.

The project at Washington Baum Bridge Boating Access Area to replace 131,500 square feet of asphalt, including the parking area, driveways, turnarounds and approach lanes, is expected to begin March 15 and end mid-May.

About 6,903 square feet of the parking area will be replaced with permeable paving grids that allow rain to infiltrate the porous surface and the ground to reduce the volume of polluted runoff flowing into the sound.

Additional maintenance to the area, which was built in 1992, will include improvements to traffic flow to accommodate increased traffic at the access.

The renovations are a combined effort of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, North Carolina Coastal Federation and Dare County Tourism Board.

“The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is constantly working and investing to improve, renovate and maintain our boating access areas to continue one of the top boating programs in the nation. Our partnership with the Dare County Tourism and the N.C. Coastal Federation on this project allowed us to do more with this parking renovation and add these stormwater improvements to meet our mission as a conservation agency. We look forward to boaters being able to enjoy the finished product soon,” said Commission Engineering Section Chief Gary Gardner in a statement.

The federation matched commission funds with a grant from the Dare County Tourism Board, which provided an additional 10% to the budget to allow for these improvements.

“The federation is pleased to continue our statewide partnership with the Commission to enhance state boat ramps by including additional environmentally friendly components,” said Erin Fleckenstein, regional manager and coastal scientist for the federation. “In particular, we are glad to see these improvements implemented at the popular Washington Baum Bridge boat ramp where they can provide incremental improvements to the sound. And we’d like to extend our gratitude to the Dare County Tourism Board for the grant funds to make this project a reality.”

The federation works with local governments, agencies, businesses and community members to embrace nature-based stormwater strategies to reduce flooding, improve water quality and help balance economic development with natural resource management. To learn more visit, https://www.nccoast.org/protect-the-coast/stormwater.

Local governments in the 20 coastal counties can apply for funding to improve public access to beaches and waters for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management recently announced the availability of about $1 million in funding through the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program, which provides matching funds to local governments for the construction of low-cost public access facilities such walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers and related projects. Funds also may be used for land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization.

“Enhancing access to public waters is a really important part of our coastal program,” said Braxton Davis, division director, in a statement. “We are grateful to continue to offer this funding to local governments who partner with us to expand public access to beaches and waterfronts.”

Local governments interested in applying for financial assistance must submit a pre-application to the Division of Coastal Management by 5 p.m. April 16. Applicants will be notified by May 14 if their proposal is selected to submit a final application.

Final applications are expected to be due in August. All final applicants will be notified in September if their project has been selected for funding. For more information about the Public Access Grant application process, go to the DEQ website.

Staff with the state Division of Coastal Management selected the recipients based on criteria set by the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission.

Funding for the grant program comes from the North Carolina General Assembly through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. The grant program has provided more than $49.2 million for more than 470 public waterfront access sites since the program began in 1981.

More than $1 million will go to 11 local governments and the North Carolina Coastal Reserve to improve public access to coastal beaches and waters.

The state Division of Coastal Management awarded the funding for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

“Each year these grants fund key projects that allow safe access and improved experiences for our residents and visitors along the coastal waterways,” said Michael S. Regan, Secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. “Now more than ever, this funding is an important way to support our local governments and our coastal economy.”

The Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program provides matching funds to local governments in the 20 coastal counties. Governments that receive grants must match them by contributing at least 25% toward the project’s cost.

The division awarded grants to the following:

• Belville received $191,550 for the installation a new, nonmotorized boat launch and replacement of the existing, damaged motorized boat ramp dock at Brunswick Riverwalk Park.                        
• Bertie County received $146,772 for the Bertie Tall Glass of Water (TGOW) Project Phase I for installation of ADA-accessible solar powered restrooms, paved parking and walkway, a beach access ramp and 200 feet of beach mats to access a sand beach on the Chowan River.                       
• Caswell Beach received $44,600 for the Regional Access Handicapped Rebuild project to rebuild and upgrade the only handicapped access point at the town regional access site.                        
• Craven County received $88,500 for repairs to an existing pier along Brice Creek at Creekside Park. New amenities include a floating dock that the existing kayak launch will be attached, and two fishing platforms.                   
• Holly Ridge received $80,712 for Morris Landing restrooms, an environmentally friendly, self-composting restroom as part of the Morris Landing Access site to the Intracoastal Waterway.
• Kill Devil Hills received $89,769 for Moore Shores estuarine access, including the installation of parking, a walkway and a pier with a gazebo and canoe/kayak launch on Kitty Hawk Bay.                         
• Morehead City received $33,750 for the kayak launch at S. 10th Street for installation of an ADA kayak launch at an existing access site that provides access to Harbor Channel and Bogue Sound.                       
• Murfreesboro received $170,000 for the Murfree’s Landing Phase II project for installation of a canoe/kayak launch, riprap revetment, parking, and lighting at Murfree’s Landing (formerly King’s Landing) along the Meherrin River.
• North Carolina Coastal Reserve received $122,329 for Currituck Banks Reserve boardwalk for the replacement of boardwalk decking and structural joists and pilings needed for an access that ends at a viewpoint along the Currituck Sound.
• Ocean Isle Beach received $27,463 to rebuild the existing Chadburn Street beach access.
• Pasquotank County received $89,925 for the Pasquotank River Public Access Improvement Phase IV project for the replacement of boardwalk decking, and handrails, piles and stringers along the Pasquotank River and a connecting canal.
• Swansboro received $142,350 for the extension of the Bicentennial Park boardwalk and the addition of four public day docks adjacent to historic downtown Swansboro.

Funding for the grant program comes from the North Carolina General Assembly through the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. Access projects may include walkways, dune crossovers, restrooms, parking areas, piers and related projects. Funds also may be used for land acquisition or urban waterfront revitalization. Staff with the state Division of Coastal Management selected the recipients based on criteria set by the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission.

The grant program has provided more than $48 million for 461 public waterfront access sites since the program began in 1981. For more information about the program, go to the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access program’s website.