More Than $54 Million Approved to Restore NC Beaches

The State of North Carolina and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced more than $54.9 million to reimburse expenses to restore hurricane- and tropical storm-related beach damage.

The funds include reimbursing the replacement of sand and plants on public beaches in the towns of Emerald Isle and Holden Beach. Storm surges from Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Michael damaged beaches in the coastal communities.

Emerald Isle will replenish with more than 2 million cubic yards of sand and more than 377,000 square yards of plants. Holden Beach will replenish more than 389,000 cubic yards of sand damaged during Tropical Storm Michael.

FEMA’s combined share for the Emerald Isle and Holden Beach projects is more than $41.2 million and the state’s share is more than $13.7 million.

The state and FEMA have approved more than $72 million to restore North Carolina beaches since the 2018 storms. In September 2019, more than $18 million was approved to restore beaches in the towns of Indian Beach and Pine Knoll Shores.