Pilot for Shoreline Stabilization Projects.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 1008

Short Title: Pilot for Shoreline Stabilization Projects. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Brinson, Lazzara, and Hanig (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 4, 2026
*S1008-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM TO P ERMIT CONSTRUCTION O F 2
SHORELINE STABILIZATION PROJECTS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. Article 7 of Chapter 113A of the General Statutes is amended by 5
adding a new section to read: 6
"§ 113A-115.2. Shoreline stabilization pilot projects. 7
(a) Notwithstanding any limitation of G.S. 113A-115.1, there is established a pilot 8
program to authorize construction of shoreline stabilization pilot projects at locations statewide 9
where oceanfront homes face imminent danger of being lost to the ocean. The North Carolina 10
Collaboratory established pursuant to G.S. 116-255 shall evaluate potential locations and shall 11
recommend a limited number of pilot projects sufficient to evaluate different shoreline 12
conditions, erosion risks, and management approaches, based on all of the following criteria: 13
(1) The severity and immediacy of the erosion threat at the location. 14
(2) The potential for adverse effects of the pilot project proposed to be sited at the 15
location on adjacent properties and shorelines. 16
(3) The scientific value of monitoring data that can be gathered for a pilot project 17
proposed to be sited at the location. 18
(4) The willingness of a governing entity with jurisdiction over the location at 19
which a pilot project is proposed to be sited to comply with requirements of 20
this section and monitoring protocols to be adopted by the Division pursuant 21
to subsection (b) of this section. 22
(5) The economic impact of continued erosion, including potential loss of public 23
or private property, public infrastructure, tax base, transportation access, 24
utilities, or other community assets, if shoreline stabilization measures are not 25
authorized. 26
(b) The Division of Coastal Management, in coordination with the Collaboratory, shall 27
prior to construction of any pilot project establish active monitoring protocols for such projects, 28
including a defined monitoring period. No later th an 60 days after the conclusion of the 29
monitoring period established for each project, the Division and the Collaboratory shall jointly 30
prepare and submit a report on the monitoring results for the project to the Commission and the 31
General Assembly. 32
(c) The governing entity with jurisdiction over the location at which a shoreline 33
stabilization project is to be sited, whether a unit of local government or homeowners association, 34
shall be: 35
(1) Required to do all of the following: 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 1008-First Edition
a. Fund the pilot project in its entirety. No State funds shall be used for 1
construction of a pilot project unless the General Assembly 2
specifically appropriates funds for that project. 3
b. Obtain all federal, State, and local permits and authorizations required 4
for the pilot project. 5
c. Prior to construction, post a bond or other financial assurance 6
instrument in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of removal of the 7
structure. 8
(2) Exempt from any limitations or requirements of G.S. 113A-115.1 for the 9
duration of the active pilot pro ject, defined as the period during which the 10
stabilization structure is in place and active monitoring is being conducted. 11
This exemption shall remain in effect for the permitted life of the structure, 12
including any required monitoring period, and shall te rminate upon removal 13
of the structure, expiration or revocation of the permit, or a final agency 14
determination requiring removal, whichever occurs first. 15
(d) As used in this section, the following definitions apply: 16
(1) "Sheet pile wall " is an erosion control structure that consists of a driven, 17
vibrated, or pushed row of interlocking vertical pile segments to form a 18
continuous wall. 19
(2) "Shoreline stabilization pilot project" means a permanent erosion control 20
structure, as that term is defined under G.S. 113A-115.1, and including a sheet 21
pile wall and wave attenuation system." 22
SECTION 2. The sum of eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($850,000) in 23
nonrecurring funds for the 2026 -2027 fiscal year is appropriated from the General Fund to the 24
North Carolina Collaboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Collaboratory) 25
to do both of the following: 26
(1) Carry out the study required under Section 1 of this act, including expenses 27
related to consultants or faculty, staff, or s tudents affiliated with institutions 28
of higher education. 29
(2) Update the State's Beach and Inlet Management Plan (Plan), notwithstanding 30
subsections (c) and (d) of Section 13.9 of S.L. 2000 -67. The updated Plan 31
should catalog current erosion concerns along the State's oceanfront and 32
estuarine shorelines, evaluate the dredging needs of inlets and navigational 33
channels, and recommend a prioritized schedule of maintenance dredging 34
projects with beneficial placement of beach -compatible material. In 35
conducting this work, the Collaboratory shall coordinate with the Division of 36
Coastal Management of the Department of Environmental Quality, the United 37
States Army Corps of Engineers, and other knowledgeable coastal authorities. 38
The Collaboratory shall incorporate the findings of the study required by 39
Section 1 of this act, whether preliminary or final, into the final Beach and 40
Inlet Management Plan update. Funds appropriated to the Collaboratory under 41
this section may be used for consultants or faculty, staff, or students affiliated 42
with institutions of higher education to carry out the Plan update. The 43
Collaboratory shall issue the updated plan no later than December 1, 2027. 44
SECTION 3. The Department of Environmental Quality shall amend the 45
management program it adopted pursuant to the federal Coastal Zone Management Act, 16 46
U.S.C. § 1451, et seq., to ensure the management program is consistent with G.S. 113A-115.2, 47
as enacted by Section 1 of this act, and shall seek approval of the proposed amended management 48
plan by the United States Secretary of Commerce or the Secretary's authorized designee no later 49
than six months after the effective date of this act. 50
SECTION 4. This act is effective when it becomes law. 51