Governor Meyer urges White House to authorize emergency coastal restoration funds

Governor Matt Meyer sent a letter to President Donald Trump yesterday, urging immediate federal action to restore Delaware’s beaches and critical coastal protection systems following significant coastal damage from recent nor’easters.

“Our beaches are part of Delaware’s critical infrastructure that protects homes, roads, and jobs,” Governor Meyer said. 

“On top of revenue losses and increased costs to the state due to federal legislation, Delaware has been hit hard by recent nor’easter weather. We cannot wait for another storm to hit or for our bridges and highways to collapse to make improvements that will keep our communities safe. We need swift federal action to repair the damage, strengthen our shoreline, and ensure that our coastline is safe and resilient whenever the next storm hits.”

In his letter, Governor Meyer requested that the President direct USACE invoke its emergency restoration authority under Section 8327 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022.

The law allows the Secretary of the Army, using existing emergency response funding, to restore the federally authorized storm damage reduction projects along the Bay and Atlantic Coast when damaged by nor’easters that reduce their ability to protect against erosion, flooding, or coastal storm impacts.

Delaware’s coastline serves as both a natural barrier against storms and a foundation of the state’s economy, supporting tourism, agriculture, and local businesses.

Recent storms have caused significant dune erosion, coastal breaches, and infrastructure damage that threaten public safety, transportation networks, and the long-term stability of coastal communities.

In his letter, Governor Meyer said that the duration and force of these storms have caused damage equal to, and in some cases worse than, a hurricane.