The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management has awarded over $2.25 million in grants to support 10 projects aimed at improving public access to beaches and coastal waterways across the state.
These grants are part of the Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access Grant Program, which assists local governments in North Carolina’s 20 coastal counties. The funding will be used for acquiring land for public access sites and constructing or upgrading amenities such as dune crossovers, fishing piers, parking areas, restrooms, and kayak launches.
“These state investments will both ensure safe and expanded public access to our coastlines and strengthen the resilience of our communities by supporting infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “As we face increasingly severe storms, these projects will play a key role in safeguarding both public safety and the long-term health of our coastal environments.”
The list of grant recipients includes:
– Atlantic Beach: Improvements to New Bern Street Public Access with reconstruction of a walkway.
– Beaufort: Creation of an access site at Ann Street Park featuring new amenities and stormwater improvements.
– Belhaven: Expansion of Belhaven Harbor Park through land acquisition.
– Bertie County: Enhancement of Tall Glass of Water Beach Access with an ADA-accessible path and vegetation planting.
– Cedar Point: Addition of ADA-accessible bathrooms at Boathouse Creek Park.
– Nags Head: Replacement of bathhouse facilities and walkways at Hargrove Street Public Beach Access.
– New Hanover County: Installation of a kayak launch, ADA parking, sidewalk upgrades, signage, and bulkhead repairs at Trails End Waterfront Access.
– Ocean Isle Beach: Replacement and widening of Shallotte Blvd Beach Access for ADA compliance.
– Swansboro: Reconstruction of Main Street Dock along the downtown waterfront area.
– Vandemere: Construction of an ADA-compliant fishing pier on the Pamlico River.
The Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access Program was established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1981 as part of amendments to the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA). In 1983, it was expanded to include estuarine areas. The program uses a portion—5%—of annual funds from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) to provide matching grants for local governments. Since its inception, more than 528 projects have been supported under this initiative.
Further details about the program can be found on its official website.
