WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management is awarding $699,535 to environmental resilience projects in southeastern NC.
The funding is for Phases 3 and 4 of the Resilient Coastal Communities Program. Phase 3 aims to provide funding to help communities with engineering and designing projects identified in their RCCP Resilience Strategy or other exiting plans that meet the RCCP Phases 1 and 2 criteria. Some communities got funds to help develop or change ordinances to enhance their ability to resist coastal hazards. Statewide, $4.3 million will be available to complete 15 projects in Phase 3.
The local Phase 3 projects include:
- $55,000 to Burgaw for the Rain Garden Installation and Educational Demonstration. Rain gardens slow and intercept the flow of stormwater from rooftops and driveways to let the water infiltrate back into the ground, per the NC Cooperative Extension.
- $143,000 to Holly Ridge for the Multi-Use Greenway Connection Feasibility Study.
- $170,000 to Ocean Isle Beach for the Living Shoreline Feasibility Study and Demonstration Project.
Phase 4 focuses on funding the implementation of projects that got funding in the previous phases. The shovel-ready projects are receiving $1.9 million across the state for five projects. The only local project is $331,525 to the Roadside Infiltration Resilience Project in Surf City.
According to Surf City, the project seeks to address roadway flooding.
“The initiative involves the installation of permeable pavers and roadside bioswales, which will enhance the natural infiltration of stormwater and mitigate flooding on streets within Surf City,” the town announcement states.
You can learn more about the RCCP on the DEQ website.
Copyright 2024 WECT. All rights reserved.