DEQ issues approvals for Buxton beach nourishment

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management (DCM) has issued a permit to Dare County for a beach nourishment project that is planned for this summer at the Village of Buxton.

DCM also issued a letter to the county affirming that the proposed work to rebuild one of three groins near the former site of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse qualifies as “repair” under the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) and the Coastal Resources Commission’s (CRC) rules and does not therefore require a CAMA permit for the project to proceed.

North Carolina’s ocean shoreline is a dynamic environment with challenges driven by extreme shoreline erosion, rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storms. Communities along the Outer Banks have been particularly affected by recent weather events and extreme erosion.

Along many parts of the state’s coastline, local governments may pursue projects such as beach renourishment to reduce vulnerability to storm damages and protect critical public infrastructure, the Department said.

DCM reviews these projects to ensure they are consistent with CAMA and the CRC’s rules.