The State of North Carolina and FEMA are announcing more than $18.8 million to reimburse expenses to restore hurricane- and tropical storm-related beach damage.
The funds include reimbursing the replacement of beach sand in the Town of Topsail Beach. Storm surges from Hurricane Florence damaged the coastal community’s beach.
The town will replenish more than 939,000 cubic yards of sand damaged during Hurricane Florence. The sand equals more than nine times the amount of concrete in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides grants for state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations to reimburse the cost of debris removal, emergency protective measures and permanent repair work.
Public Assistance is a cost-sharing program. FEMA reimburses applicants at least 75 percent of eligible costs, and the remaining 25 percent is covered by the state. The federal share is paid directly to the state, which disburses funds to agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations that incurred costs.
FEMA’s share for the Topsail Beach project is more than $14.1 million and the state’s share is more than $4.7 million.
The state and FEMA have approved more than $90.8 million to restore North Carolina beaches since the 2018 storms. In addition to the $18.8 million for Topsail Beach, more than $54 million was approved earlier this month to restore beaches in the towns of Emerald Isle and Holden Beach. Also, more than $18 million was approved in September to restore beaches in the towns of Indian Beach and Pine Knoll Shores.
For more information on North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Florence, visit ncdps.gov/Florence and FEMA.gov/Disaster/4393. Follow us on Twitter: @NCEmergency and @FEMARegion4.
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FEMA’s mission: Helping people before, during and after disasters.