Coastal projects receive funding

SURF CITY - NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH - Surf City and North Topsail Beach received $368,000 of the $18,457,000 in federal funds budgeted for Southeastern North Carolina beaches and inlets, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Wilmington Port, U.S. Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) recently announced.

Surf City Town Manager Michael Moore said the funds will be used for Surf City and North Topsail Beach's federal joint beach nourishment project.

"This should be enough to finish the feasibility study for the joint beach nourishment project, which will nourish six miles of beachfront in Surf City and four miles of beachfront in North Topsail Beach - unless something else comes up," Moore said. "The mayor and council are very pleased that McIntyre, (U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.) and (U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole R-N.C.) were able to get this included in the federal budget, and we will be able to continue with the federal project."

Moore explained the feasibility study is only the first phase of four phases, and each phase depends on funding and approval from Washington before the actual beach nourishment can begin. If all the phases receive funding and approvals, he said the nourishment is slated for 2013.

"Each phase requires different federal participation - phase one requires 75 percent federal participation and the rest is local and state funds," Moore said. "The state puts in 50 percent and we, North Topsail Beach and Surf City, do the rest. We actually started this project - it's been five years now."

The estimated cost of the nourishment project is $75,724,000 with renourishment at four year intervals estimated at $11,109,000.

Moore said the cost benefit makes the project worthwhile.

"For each dollar going into it, you would save almost $5 in damages," he said.

McIntyre stated in the press release announcing the funding: "Federal support is critical to enhancing and protecting the economic and environmental treasure of our coast. These funds will allow the Corps of Engineers to make critical progress in all of these areas, and it is good to see our taxpayer dollars coming back to provide jobs and enhance our citizens quality of life. As this bill moves through the legislative process, I will be working to secure even more funding for other coastal concerns."

Also approved by the House Appropriations Committee for the 2009 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as part of the $18 million budgeted, is $855,000 for the Intracoastal Waterway, $347,000 for Masonboro Inlet, $682,000 for Cape Fear River locks and dams, $2,075,000 for the Wilmington Harbor construction, $12,350,000 for the Wilmington Harbor maintenance dredging, $1,320,000 for Lockwoods Folly River and $550,000 for Brunswick County beaches.