NCDEQ: Helping Coastal Communities with Storm Damage

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is accepting project applications for $11.5 million in funding to help coastal cities and towns recover from hurricane damage.

The deadline to submit an application is April 30, 2020.

The funding comes from Session Law 2019-224 which allocated $11.5 million to the Division of Water Resources’ Coastal Storm Damage Mitigation Fund.

“Funding may only be used for costs associated with beach nourishment, artificial dunes, and other projects to mitigate or remediate coastal storm damage to the ocean beaches and dune systems of the state, according to General Statute 143-215.73M. The amount shall not exceed $2.5 million for each unit of local government and no cost-share will be required,” DEQ said.

All applications will be evaluated to determine if the proposed beach nourishment or dune project meets the minimum requirements and will be ranked according to six criteria.

The six criteria include environmental benefits, social benefits, economic benefits, life of the project, financial resources and project efficiency.