North Topsail leaders pursue more dredging

NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, NC (WWAY) —  North Topsail Beach Town leaders are trying to find money to pay for the next beach re-nourishment project.

The Town completed Phase One in 2013 which restored the northern 1.5 miles. Phase Five which restored the southern approximate 3.5 miles of shoreline was completed this spring.

The town said the next part of the project is Phase two. The dredged material is expected to be placed in the Phase Two area and possibly the northern portion of Phase Three. Faulkner said the town pursued a $2.25 million dollar grant from the state for Phase Two, but they must match that amount by December.

Phase 3 and Phase 4 cannot be started until the town has the funds to construct these phases and continues to work on getting CBRA legislation passed to lift the CBRA designation from the Town’s developed areas. Phases 2 through 4 were not included in the most recent shoreline restoration project because the Town received a loan from US Department of Agriculture. The Town was told that because of CBRA the borrowed Federal funds could not go toward the restoration of Phases 2 through 4.

In the meantime, Mayor Tuman has been talking to Representative Walter B. Jones, Senator Burr, Sentor Tillis, and the Town’s legislative affairs consultants about an exception that Tuman found in a 2000 act. The exception would allow Federal funds to be spent on beach restoration in a CBRA area as long as it does not involve a hardened structure.

This exception would need to be approved by US Fish and Wildlife Service. The legislators have agreed to contact the Secretary of the Interior on the Town’s behalf in hopes of getting the exception approved.