Throughout the world, there is no coastal system quite like North Carolina’s.
What we have:
Nearly 325 miles of coastal shoreline, 5000+ miles of estuarine shoreline; 23 inlets; barrier islands; rare shorebirds and marine life; brackish-water estuaries; hurricanes and nor’easters; change is the norm in this truly unique ecosystem and fine place to live.
Of concern:
With North Carolina’s booming population growth, substantial environmental impacts are occurring – the loss of maritime forests, the contamination of salt marshes, overstressed sewage systems. The natural coastline is fragile. Change is the only constant.
In North Carolina, we have a conservative and working coastal management policy banning the use of hardened structures on our coast, like these in New Jersey:
Image courtesy of Len Pietrafesa
Every year, proponents of beach hardening promote the process as a modest change in North Carolina’s coastal management policies, whereas allowing hardened structures would undermine exactly what makes our state’s coastal policies a model for the nation and the world.
The restriction on hardened structures is based on science and history and reflects the natural processes that shape our coast – wind, waves, tides and erosion.
Importantly…
The law already recognizes limited exceptions may be needed to stabilize commercial navigational channels of regional significance (Beaufort Inlet, Cape Fear Inlet and Oregon Inlet); erosion threatened bridges (Bonner Bridge); and historic sites of national significance (Fort Fisher, Fort Macon). Before even these limited exceptions can be approved, non-structural measures such as beach replenishment, relocation of structures, or realignment of channels within inlets must be tried or determined infeasible.
