The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management (DCM) has allocated nearly $6 million in grants to 32 communities under the Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP). The funding aims to enhance resilience against hazardous weather events.
A total of $1.9 million was granted for Phases 1 and 2, focusing on technical assistance in risk assessment and resilience planning, as well as incorporating resiliency into Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) Land Use Plans. More than $4 million was awarded for Phases 3 and 4, supporting engineering, design, construction, and implementation efforts.
“Increasingly catastrophic storms like Helene and Chantal underscore how important it is for communities to take concrete steps to strengthen their resilience to hazardous weather events,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “These grants provide technical assistance and resources so that community leaders can identify the most important actions they can take to safeguard their residents, their infrastructure, and their economies.”
In Phases 1 and 2, DCM will collaborate with third-party firms that will directly receive funding to provide technical assistance services. These contractors will aid local governments in developing resilience strategies and CAMA Land Use Plans. The contractors include Atkins Realis, Moffatt & Nichol, Coastal Protection Engineering (CPE), NC State University Coastal Dynamics Design Lab (CDDL), Colliers Engineering & Design, RK&K and the Mid East Commission, ESP Associates, SWCA Environmental Consultants, HDR, Weston and Sampson (WSE), Kimley Horn, WSP, Kleinfelder.
For Phase 3 of the RCCP, five counties and eight municipalities have been awarded nearly $3 million for engineering and design projects that incorporate natural elements such as wetland restoration.
In Phase 4, three municipalities will share over $1.2 million for projects focusing on stormwater management and flood mitigation through nature-based solutions like rain gardens and living shorelines.
The RCCP initiative supports communities in developing locally driven resilience strategies aimed at reducing hazards like flooding. Since its inception, approximately $16 million has been awarded through 108 grants across 56 coastal communities.
For more information about the Resilient Coastal Communities program or awarded projects visit the DCM website.
