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All

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right. Good evening, ladies and

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gentlemen. Uh, the time is now 6 pm. Uh,

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and I call this public uh, hearing to

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order. Uh, with the Army Corps of

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Engineers, uh, public hearing regarding

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the town of North Topsel's proposed new

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river inlet master management plan. My

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name is Lieutenant Colonel Ken Porter,

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commander of the Wilmington District.

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Under federal regulation, I am the

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serving as the presiding officer tonight

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responsible for regulating the course of

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this hearing and ensuring that all

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participants have a fair and orderly

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opportunity to participate.

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On behalf of the Wilmington District and

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our participating agency partners, thank

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you for taking the time to be here this

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evening. I would also like to thank the

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town of North Topsel Beach for providing

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their town hall space for our event.

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Thank you.

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All right. Before we begin, I'd like to

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introduce the agency representatives and

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technical partners seated up front uh

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with me. Uh to my right here is Mr.

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Tommy Fennel, chief of the regulatory

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division of the Wilmington District Army

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Corps of Engineers.

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To his right down there on the end is

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Mr. Ronnie Smith. He's the chief of the

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Wilmington uh regulatory field office as

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part of the Wilmington District. Miss

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Emily Hughes to his left uh is the

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project manager uh for this project in

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the Wilmington Regulatory Field Office.

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Mr. Greg Bodner

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to my left is the major permits

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coordinator, North Carolina Division of

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Coastal Management. Mr. Cameron Luck,

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[clears throat]

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there he is. All right. Federal

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consistency coordinator, North Carolina

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Division of Coastal Management. And Mr.

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Steve Dial,

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Dial and Cordi Associates third party

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environmental contractor. Uh, thank you

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all for your presence and support

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tonight.

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At this time, I'd like to recognize the

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elected and appointed public officials

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who have joined us this evening. As I

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call your name, please stand so we may

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acknowledge you.

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Mr. Rick Grant, North Topsil Beach

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Mayor.

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Kip Malcolm, North Topsil Beach

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Alderman.

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» Also in the corner. All right. Fred

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Fontana, North Topsil Beach alderman.

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» Thanks, Fred. Mary Barefoot.

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» Mark.

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» Mark Barefoot.

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You got to work on your handwriting

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there, Mark.

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[laughter]

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All right, John Gunter, uh, North, uh,

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Topsil Beach Commissioner.

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Thanks, John.

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Are there any other elected or appointed

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officials present who did not have the

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opportunity to sign in at the front

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table?

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» If so, please [clears throat] stand and

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introduce yourself now.

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» Thank you.

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Mayor Teresa Bats.

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Glad to be here.

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» Thanks, Mayor Bats. Anyone else?

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All right. All right. Thank you for your

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attendance this evening.

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The purpose of this hearing is twofold.

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First, to inform the public of the

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release of the draft environmental

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impact statement for the New River Inlet

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Master Management Plan. and second to

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receive formal information, evidence,

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and oral comments from the public that

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will be considered in the development of

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the final environmental impact

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statement. I want to be very direct

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about the nature of this proceeding.

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Tonight's hearing is not a question and

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answer session, nor is it a town hall

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debate. We are here strictly to listen

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to your statements and record your

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comments for the formal administrative

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record. Furthermore, I must emphasize

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that the United States Army Corps of

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Engineers is completely neutral in the

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review of this proposal. The core is

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neither an advocate nor an opponent of

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the proposed project. Our role is

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strictly regulatory and evaluative.

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Following the close of the comment

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period and the completion of the final

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environmental impact statement as a a

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comprehensive record of decision will be

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prepared to document the COR's official

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determination. Your spoken comments

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tonight, as well as any written comments

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you submit during the comment period,

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carry equal weight and are an essential

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component of that evaluation process.

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To ensure that tonight's proceedings

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remain fair, efficient, and orderly for

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everyone wishing to speak, the following

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ground rules will apply throughout the

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hearing. Number one, focus on official

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testimony. As stated, this is an an

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official hearing to receive testimony,

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not a dialogue or Q&A. The panel will

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listen carefully but will not respond to

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questions from the podium tonight.

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Speaker order. I will call speakers to

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the microphone individually using the

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signup lists prepared during

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registration. In accordance with

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standard procedure, elected officials

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will be invited to speak first, followed

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by members of the general public in the

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order in which they registered.

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The time limit is three minutes. Each

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speaker will have exactly three minutes

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to deliver their remarks. Please respect

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the other speakers and the attendees and

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adhere to this limit so that everyone

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has their allotted time. Timekeeper

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signals. We have a designated

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timekeeper.

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The monitors will display a threeminut

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timer that will start once you begin

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speaking. Do we have a monitor? It's

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going to be on there.

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» All right. It'll be on the monitor.

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» And if it's not, we'll have we'll have

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someone notify you how much time you

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have left. All right. All right. When

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you have 20 seconds remaining, the

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timekeeper will raise will raise a

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yellow indicator card. When your three

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minutes have expired, uh I will ask you

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to conclude your remarks immediately.

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Clear record for the court reporter. We

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have an official court reporter

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transcribing every word spoken tonight.

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When your name is called, please step up

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directly to the podium microphone. State

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your full name, your spelling, and any

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group or organization that you

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represent. Speak clearly and at a

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measured pace into the microphone.

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and decorum. Please refrain from

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applause, cheering, booing, or vocal

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interruptions from the floor. We ask

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that everyone treat their fellow

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community members and all attendees with

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courtesy and mutual respect. I

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appreciate your cooperation and adhering

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to these standards.

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I will now invite Mr. Tommy Fennel,

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chief of the Wilmington District

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Regulatory Division, to explain the

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statutory authorities and regulatory

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framework governing this review. Over to

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you, Tommy.

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» Thank you, sir. Good evening, folks. My

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objective tonight is to provide a brief

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overview of the Department of the Army's

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regulatory authority and the framework

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governing our environmental review. Core

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of Engineers operates under three

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primary legal frameworks for actions of

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this type. The National Environmental

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Policy Act, often referred to as NEPA,

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is our nation's foundational

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environmental statute. It requires

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federal agencies to evaluate the

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environmental effects of proposed major

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major federal actions prior to making a

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decision. When a proposed action has the

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potential to significantly affect the

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quality of the human environment,

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beneficially or adversely, the agency

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must prepare an EIS or environmental

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impact statement. Second is a section 10

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of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.

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That one's been around a while. Section

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10 authorizes the Secretary of the Army

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acting through the core to regulate

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structures or work within navigable

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waters of the United States. And third,

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section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

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Section 404 authorizes the core to issue

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permits for the discharge of dredged or

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field material into waters of the United

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States.

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Jurisdiction in the draft EIS. A little

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explanation of what that is. During the

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initial scoping for the town of North

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Topsil's beach, their proposal waters

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and wetlands that this project would

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impact that were subject to our

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jurisdiction were identified. Because

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the proposal includes shoreline

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protection measures and a proposed

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terminal groin, the court determined

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that the project could significantly

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affect the human and natural

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environment. Consequently, we initiated

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the preparation of this draft EIS under

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NEPA and the council of environmental

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quality guidelines.

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The draft EIS objectively evaluates a

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range of reasonable and practable

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alternatives that meet the town's stated

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purpose and need. To be entirely clear,

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the core has not received a formal

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department of the Army application at

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this time. We anticipate receiving a

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permit application in the spring of 2027

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concurrent with the completion of a

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final EIS. At that time, another public

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notice will be published for review and

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comment on that specific application.

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The mission of our regulatory program is

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to balance fair and reasonable

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development while safeguard safeguarding

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our nation's aquatic resources.

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Under our regulations, any eventual

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permit decision is governed by a

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permanent public interest review. This

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requires a careful comprehensive

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balancing of all foreseeable benefits

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against all foreseeable environmental,

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economic, and community detriments.

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Every spoken comment delivered tonight

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and every written statement received by

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the deadline will become part of the

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official administrative record and will

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directly inform the final environmental

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impact statement. Thank you for your

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constructive participation in this

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process this afternoon is very important

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to what we do. I'll now turn the

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presentation over to Miss Emily Hughes

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um Wilmington Regulatory Field Office

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project manager who will review the

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current status of the document and

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outline the timeline moving forward.

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Emily,

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» Thank you, Tommy. Good evening,

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everyone. Thanks for coming out. Got a

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good crowd out here tonight. I

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appreciate you being here. Um, as say,

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my name is Emily Hughes. I'm the project

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manager for the town's master management

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plan. My information is up on the

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monitors. There's also handouts with my

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contact information. Um, I will be

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reviewing the document and sorry, I

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should probably stick to my script here.

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I'm not good at improvising.

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Um, so I'm I'm responsible for managing

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the environmental review of of the

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town's proposal. So the draft EIS that's

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out for comment right now um was

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authored by by our third party

280
00:10:45,279 --> 00:10:51,600
contractor which is D cordi Steve dial

281
00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:53,920
and Ralph Ralph Engel

282
00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:56,399
um and it's independently reviewed

283
00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:59,600
verified and adopted by the Army Corps

284
00:10:56,399 --> 00:11:01,519
of Engineers. So we the core are

285
00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:04,160
responsible for assuring that the

286
00:11:01,519 --> 00:11:06,320
content in the document and reviewed

287
00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:08,480
procedures are compliant with NEPA

288
00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:11,200
requirements.

289
00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:13,440
This document is comprehensive. So the

290
00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:16,000
main body includes the purpose and need

291
00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:18,399
for the proposed action, detailed

292
00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:20,640
analysis of five alternatives, a

293
00:11:18,399 --> 00:11:22,959
description of the affected environment

294
00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:25,040
and the environmental consequences of

295
00:11:22,959 --> 00:11:26,959
all five alternatives.

296
00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:29,200
And then there's appendices which

297
00:11:26,959 --> 00:11:31,120
include public agency comments derived

298
00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:34,160
from the initial scoping phase, the

299
00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:37,279
coastal engineering and hydrodnamic

300
00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:39,680
modeling studies. That's a good read.

301
00:11:37,279 --> 00:11:42,480
Um, and the comprehensive environmental

302
00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:44,720
and commulative impact analysis of all

303
00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:47,040
five alternatives.

304
00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:49,519
So under federal clean water act

305
00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:52,240
regulations, the core cannot issue a

306
00:11:49,519 --> 00:11:54,959
permit if there is a known less

307
00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:57,920
environmentally damaging practicable

308
00:11:54,959 --> 00:12:00,720
alternative. And in regulatory terms,

309
00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:03,040
this is known as leada, the least

310
00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:05,040
environmentally damaging practicable

311
00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,959
alternative.

312
00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,959
In the draft EIS, all action

313
00:12:06,959 --> 00:12:11,839
alternatives, including the town's

314
00:12:08,959 --> 00:12:13,600
preferred alternative, are regul

315
00:12:11,839 --> 00:12:15,920
rigorously

316
00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:18,480
evaluated against a no action

317
00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:20,320
alternative, which is the baseline.

318
00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:23,120
Among the action alternatives under

319
00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:26,399
review, two alternatives include a

320
00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:31,160
terminal groin, um, one with and one

321
00:12:26,399 --> 00:12:31,160
without inlet channel management.

322
00:12:31,839 --> 00:12:38,320
So the official p public comment period

323
00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:41,360
for the draft EIS closes Monday, October

324
00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:43,040
19th, 2026.

325
00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:45,040
Following the close of the comment

326
00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,880
window, the core will review every

327
00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:48,639
substantive comment, conduct an

328
00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:51,360
additional required modeling or

329
00:12:48,639 --> 00:12:52,880
analysis, and then publish that final

330
00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,639
EIS.

331
00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,720
And as Tommy mentioned, they'll be

332
00:12:54,639 --> 00:12:59,760
available for an additional 30-day

333
00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:02,880
public review. And around that time, the

334
00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:04,880
town anticipates submitting a permit

335
00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,639
application for their preferred

336
00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:09,040
alternative,

337
00:13:06,639 --> 00:13:11,760
which we anticipate will be around March

338
00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:13,920
in 2027.

339
00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:15,760
So, if there are no unforeseen delays,

340
00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:18,399
the core anticipates completing our

341
00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:22,240
review and issuing a record of decision

342
00:13:18,399 --> 00:13:24,800
or rod in the summer of 2027. And the

343
00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:27,600
rod will will articulate the core's

344
00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:30,320
final decision, identify the selected

345
00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:33,279
alternative, and specify all mandatory

346
00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:36,880
environmental mitigative measures. And

347
00:13:33,279 --> 00:13:39,839
that that will conclude the EIS process.

348
00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:41,360
So, we value all your input. Uh, more

349
00:13:39,839 --> 00:13:43,760
specifically, we're looking for

350
00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:46,560
substantive comments that provide

351
00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:48,800
concrete factual information

352
00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:51,040
such as data on historic coastal

353
00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:52,560
conditions, observed natural

354
00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:55,440
occurrences,

355
00:13:52,560 --> 00:13:58,639
protected wildlife and habitat, cultural

356
00:13:55,440 --> 00:14:00,240
resources, or specific socioeconomic

357
00:13:58,639 --> 00:14:01,839
effects.

358
00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,000
Um,

359
00:14:01,839 --> 00:14:06,639
please note each participant need only

360
00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:09,199
submit one set of comments. Oral and

361
00:14:06,639 --> 00:14:12,480
written submissions receive equal weight

362
00:14:09,199 --> 00:14:14,880
in our decision-making record.

363
00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:17,600
And now I'd like to introduce Mr. Fran

364
00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:19,680
Wei, coastal engineer with ATM, who will

365
00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:22,320
provide an overview of the study area

366
00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:23,120
and summarize the five project

367
00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:24,959
alternatives.

368
00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,800
» Should I do it from here or

369
00:14:24,959 --> 00:14:29,680
» Wherever you feel more [clears throat]

370
00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,680
comfortable?

371
00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,360
I'm going to go through all five

372
00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:01,560
alternatives and that's pretty much

373
00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:01,560
Yeah. Um,

374
00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,600
is that enough now?

375
00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,199
» There it is.

376
00:15:20,399 --> 00:15:29,120
» Okay, ne next slide. Thanks, Ricky.

377
00:15:24,639 --> 00:15:31,600
Uh just a some a quick background. Uh

378
00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:34,880
the first beach nourishment inlet

379
00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:36,959
management project that the town did uh

380
00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:41,279
that environmental impact statement that

381
00:15:36,959 --> 00:15:44,000
was back in 2011 2010. They did get a

382
00:15:41,279 --> 00:15:46,560
30-year permit to to dredge the channel,

383
00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:50,160
the new river in the channel and and you

384
00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:52,160
know place sand on the beach. Uh the

385
00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:54,800
nourishment and their phases. And I've

386
00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:58,079
got a image next to to just explain the

387
00:15:54,800 --> 00:16:00,240
phases. And then the borrow sources in

388
00:15:58,079 --> 00:16:02,000
within this document were the new river

389
00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,959
inlet, the outer bar channel and the

390
00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:07,440
offshore borrow site. And then the inlet

391
00:16:04,959 --> 00:16:10,000
rotation was this is the relocation of

392
00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:12,480
the outer bar channel. And the channel,

393
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:16,000
you know, 3,500 feet long, 500 feet

394
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:19,040
wide, 18 feet deep. And every four years

395
00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:20,880
they will repeat that. And that's the

396
00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:24,240
one thing. This is a reusable borrow

397
00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:27,240
area, so it makes it very valuable long

398
00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,240
term.

399
00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:32,040
Next slide, please.

400
00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:38,959
So, just really quickly, out of the EIS,

401
00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:41,279
they have the the phases. And so, you

402
00:16:38,959 --> 00:16:43,519
might hear phase one shoreline. Phase

403
00:16:41,279 --> 00:16:45,199
one shoreline is kind of where we're is

404
00:16:43,519 --> 00:16:47,600
right next to New River Inlet. That's

405
00:16:45,199 --> 00:16:49,839
like that's the the phase we're kind of

406
00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:52,720
concentrating on here. But there are

407
00:16:49,839 --> 00:16:56,480
five phases along the 11 miles of beach

408
00:16:52,720 --> 00:17:00,000
at North Topsel Beach. Uh in 2013, they

409
00:16:56,480 --> 00:17:02,000
did one of these projects where they

410
00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:04,400
uh dredge the inlet and put sand on the

411
00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:06,880
beach and it was up in the the the you

412
00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:14,079
know the project area on the north end.

413
00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:16,880
Uh a major uh the the in Yeah. Then then

414
00:17:14,079 --> 00:17:18,160
in 2013 they they started jumping around

415
00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:20,000
a little bit but we're going to stay on

416
00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:22,799
the inlet on the other side of the on

417
00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:25,199
the the central portion. And then in

418
00:17:22,799 --> 00:17:28,240
2014 we had the you know sandbag

419
00:17:25,199 --> 00:17:31,200
revetments being uh placed

420
00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:33,120
and then 2015 there was that offshore

421
00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:36,160
bar area for phase five on the other

422
00:17:33,120 --> 00:17:38,000
side of the of North Topsel Beach. And

423
00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:42,520
you know there there were they did have

424
00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:42,520
a few rock problems back then.

425
00:17:44,559 --> 00:17:50,240
And 2017

426
00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:52,160
they had the the they modified the

427
00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:54,960
permit because that they they felt like

428
00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:57,120
that inlet channel was too close to the

429
00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:59,760
shoreline and they wanted to pivot it.

430
00:17:57,120 --> 00:18:02,640
And this is uh the consultants prior to

431
00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:05,520
me uh coastal protection engineering

432
00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:09,120
that uh then the the town switched up

433
00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:10,640
after about 2016 2017.

434
00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:13,200
So,

435
00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:15,120
uh, next slide, please. Here's just a

436
00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:17,919
project study area. We have, you know,

437
00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:20,559
North Topso Beach on the north end, New

438
00:18:17,919 --> 00:18:21,840
River Inlet, and then Enslow Beach on

439
00:18:20,559 --> 00:18:23,840
the other side where, you know, Camp

440
00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:28,320
Lune and and we've been working, you

441
00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:30,720
know, with coordinating with Camp Lun.

442
00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:33,120
Okay. Next, Ricky. Here are the

443
00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:36,000
alternatives uh that were carried

444
00:18:33,120 --> 00:18:38,559
forward for detailed analysis. We have

445
00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:40,400
the no action which is just a

446
00:18:38,559 --> 00:18:42,880
continuation of existing beach and

447
00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:46,080
inland manage management practices. We

448
00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:49,840
got alternative two abandon and retreat.

449
00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:52,000
No core authorized management activity.

450
00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:55,280
Alternative three beach nourishment

451
00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:59,200
only. Alternative four beach nourishment

452
00:18:55,280 --> 00:19:01,679
and uh terminal groin. No pivot channel.

453
00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,919
And then alternative five the applicants

454
00:19:01,679 --> 00:19:07,520
preferred is the beach nourishment

455
00:19:03,919 --> 00:19:10,880
terminal groin and inlet management. Uh

456
00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:12,240
next slide. So and then this is a tough

457
00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:15,039
thing and I just wanted to like

458
00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:18,400
highlight it. No action to most people

459
00:19:15,039 --> 00:19:20,960
means do nothing. The core no action

460
00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:23,679
means continuation of existing. It's it

461
00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:25,600
is a little confusing but so the no

462
00:19:23,679 --> 00:19:28,240
action alternative is just a

463
00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:30,000
continuation of what they're doing now.

464
00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:32,400
And that's the inlet management and

465
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:34,559
beach nourishment by the town as

466
00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:36,880
currently authorized. There are some

467
00:19:34,559 --> 00:19:39,919
FEMA sponsored storm mitigation

468
00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:43,760
projects. Uh US Fish and Wildlife Cobra

469
00:19:39,919 --> 00:19:46,960
Zone can uh you know hinder some of

470
00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:48,640
that. the the core the Army Corps of

471
00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:51,039
Engineers is still and there's a project

472
00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,960
happening this winter where they dredge

473
00:19:51,039 --> 00:19:54,720
kind of the inter coastal waterway and

474
00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:57,360
the channels to Jacksonville and then

475
00:19:54,720 --> 00:20:00,720
place that material on the beach on the

476
00:19:57,360 --> 00:20:02,640
north end. It is averaging about 75,000

477
00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:05,679
cubic yards every two years and it

478
00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:08,799
really doesn't last long and that that

479
00:20:05,679 --> 00:20:10,480
but that is a core project and that's

480
00:20:08,799 --> 00:20:12,880
not a town project and they're they're

481
00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:15,280
going to continue doing that for pretty

482
00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:17,360
much all the alternatives and then you

483
00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:20,799
know right now no action m still

484
00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:22,640
maintaining existing uh sandbags and

485
00:20:20,799 --> 00:20:24,320
possibly you know placing new sandbags

486
00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,880
and I know some new sandbags have been

487
00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:29,440
placed and then you know periodic beach

488
00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:33,520
bulldozing following erosion events to

489
00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:35,280
repair dunes and BMS. Next, Ricky.

490
00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,799
Here's just some images from the no

491
00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:38,640
action.

492
00:20:36,799 --> 00:20:41,520
There's the beach fill. You know, we'll

493
00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:44,240
have a dune the and then this up here is

494
00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:47,280
kind of the beach burm and then we'll

495
00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:49,200
slope down into the water. Uh here's

496
00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:51,760
where the nourishment is and then here's

497
00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:55,039
where the the pivot channel is. And the

498
00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:57,280
original, it's hard to see, but in red

499
00:20:55,039 --> 00:21:01,600
that was the original channel. And so it

500
00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:04,640
it pivoted uh just just about 500 uh no

501
00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:07,919
200 feet it pivoted and that is kind of

502
00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:09,919
the new channel where we're going to uh

503
00:21:07,919 --> 00:21:12,640
pull. And then here's just an image from

504
00:21:09,919 --> 00:21:14,559
the numerical bottling that pretty much

505
00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:17,520
shows you know it's it's a big it's a

506
00:21:14,559 --> 00:21:19,679
it's a big you know channel there. Uh

507
00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:22,960
and you can see kind of in the color

508
00:21:19,679 --> 00:21:25,840
coding the blue is dark and the yellow

509
00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:28,720
and reds are are are higher. So, yeah,

510
00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:30,880
the blue is deep. Uh, and then obviously

511
00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:33,919
we have the sandbag. Uh, it's about

512
00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:35,520
3,600 feet of sandbags up there. Uh,

513
00:21:33,919 --> 00:21:39,200
they've been up there for, you know,

514
00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:41,360
over 10 years. Uh, they are doing a good

515
00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:43,440
job. They they made it from Matthew and

516
00:21:41,360 --> 00:21:47,840
some of the other store in Florence.

517
00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:50,240
They, uh, also held up pretty well. Uh,

518
00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:53,760
but obviously they're still ongoing

519
00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:55,760
maintenance all the time. Uh, okay. And

520
00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:57,600
then here's this image is just that

521
00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,679
quick with the Army Corps of Engineer

522
00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:02,640
project that they're doing this winter

523
00:21:59,679 --> 00:22:05,120
but and they're they're estimating the

524
00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:07,600
100,000 cubic yards this winter. Okay,

525
00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:09,600
next slide, Ricky. And so this is

526
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:12,400
alternative alternative two is the

527
00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:15,760
relocation and abandonment. Uh there's

528
00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:18,480
basically no in no inlet management or

529
00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:21,520
beach nourishment by the town there. The

530
00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:23,280
pivot channel will not be dredged.

531
00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:25,760
uh and then that you know maintenance of

532
00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:27,679
sandbags will still occur and you know

533
00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:30,159
obviously individual homeowners can do

534
00:22:27,679 --> 00:22:34,720
things to protect their property

535
00:22:30,159 --> 00:22:37,200
within KMA rules and obviously there's

536
00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:39,679
also abandonment of homes or relocation

537
00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:41,679
of homes and we can just next slide

538
00:22:39,679 --> 00:22:44,000
Ricky

539
00:22:41,679 --> 00:22:47,120
and so you know this is the north end

540
00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:50,400
the red line here

541
00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:53,280
that that's that's kind of the 30-year

542
00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:56,400
eroding erosion line, mean high water.

543
00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:58,400
Uh, and that kind of assumes that, you

544
00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:00,080
know, as soon as that sandbag reventment

545
00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:03,200
doesn't get placed, we're going to have

546
00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:05,520
the the higher mean high water shoreline

547
00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:07,760
erosion rates and it will just keep

548
00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:09,360
marching back farther and farther. And

549
00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:12,000
then there just some images of the

550
00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:13,679
sandbag structures up there and then but

551
00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:16,159
obviously the uh the Army Corps of

552
00:23:13,679 --> 00:23:19,840
Engineer inter coastal waterway dredging

553
00:23:16,159 --> 00:23:23,799
will still occur with this.

554
00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,799
Okay, next slide, Ricky.

555
00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:29,720
Okay, now we have alternative three,

556
00:23:25,679 --> 00:23:29,720
just beach nourishment only.

557
00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:35,600
No inlet management. Uh, and again that

558
00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:38,080
the core AIW in inter coastal waterway

559
00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:41,520
project still occurs. The available AR

560
00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:45,919
bar areas that for this plan is the

561
00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:48,559
offshore bar area, disposal area 143 and

562
00:23:45,919 --> 00:23:50,960
up sources which include the sand mines

563
00:23:48,559 --> 00:23:52,640
where the truck halls. Okay, next next

564
00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:55,039
slide.

565
00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:59,440
So again, here's just the the image of

566
00:23:55,039 --> 00:24:01,919
the beach and the disposal area 143 DA

567
00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:06,320
143. You can see where North Topsel

568
00:24:01,919 --> 00:24:08,240
Beach is the north end and DA 143 is

569
00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:10,559
just, you know, pretty much up then

570
00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:13,360
that's Cedar Bush Creek up there. Cedar

571
00:24:10,559 --> 00:24:15,039
Bush Cut, sorry. And then the offshore

572
00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:17,279
barrier area, you know, as soon as you

573
00:24:15,039 --> 00:24:20,159
get onto the island, Highway, you know,

574
00:24:17,279 --> 00:24:21,919
210, it's just kind of immediately south

575
00:24:20,159 --> 00:24:25,279
of that. It's it's, you know, about a

576
00:24:21,919 --> 00:24:28,880
mile offshore. It was compartmentalized

577
00:24:25,279 --> 00:24:31,200
uh by the previous consultant and uh it

578
00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:34,200
has not been used since that 2015

579
00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:34,200
nourishment.

580
00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:40,000
So this is EIS alternative 4. This is

581
00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:42,559
terminal groin and beach nourishment but

582
00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:44,159
there is no pivot channel in this and

583
00:24:42,559 --> 00:24:47,840
that will be the beach nourishment,

584
00:24:44,159 --> 00:24:49,520
terminal groin, no inlet management. Uh

585
00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:52,080
and then the available bar areas here

586
00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:56,080
are the same for alt three offshore

587
00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:59,039
disposal area 143 and upland sand mines.

588
00:24:56,080 --> 00:25:01,440
Okay, next slide Ricky. And here we have

589
00:24:59,039 --> 00:25:04,400
just a pretty much a sim very similar

590
00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:07,279
image with there's the pro here's the

591
00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:08,880
the this is the terminal groin here.

592
00:25:07,279 --> 00:25:11,120
This is the first one with the terminal

593
00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:14,400
groin. You can see it starts with a

594
00:25:11,120 --> 00:25:16,880
sheet pile stem up near the anchor and

595
00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:19,679
then out near over the water that will

596
00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:21,760
be you know large rock

597
00:25:19,679 --> 00:25:23,840
and then there's a profile of it with

598
00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:25,440
the the beach nourishment. The beach

599
00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:27,120
nourishment is going to be similar might

600
00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:29,679
it could be uh it's actually a little

601
00:25:27,120 --> 00:25:32,159
beefier because we know that terminal

602
00:25:29,679 --> 00:25:35,679
groin is there. Uh but this and then

603
00:25:32,159 --> 00:25:38,320
again there's no pivot channel here.

604
00:25:35,679 --> 00:25:40,720
Okay, next slide Ricky.

605
00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:43,039
And then this is alternative five. This

606
00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,720
is pretty the preferred alternative

607
00:25:43,039 --> 00:25:48,640
beach nourishment inlet management

608
00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:50,720
terminal groin. uh the term the so this

609
00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:53,520
includes the pivot you know the pivot

610
00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:55,600
channel for the bar area and as I

611
00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:58,480
mentioned before this is a reusable bar

612
00:25:55,600 --> 00:26:01,840
area where we'll fill and you know and

613
00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:05,039
basically the existing EIS has it's a

614
00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:07,520
pretty much agreed upon every four years

615
00:26:05,039 --> 00:26:10,159
this can be used again for for as a

616
00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:12,640
beach nourishment source

617
00:26:10,159 --> 00:26:14,480
okay Ricky

618
00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,640
next slide

619
00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:18,720
okay and this is just an image of that

620
00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:20,799
where you can see the uh the terminal

621
00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:22,480
groin's there. The beach nourishment

622
00:26:20,799 --> 00:26:23,840
because the terminal groin is there. The

623
00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:26,640
beach nourishment can be a little

624
00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:29,919
bigger. The dune can be a little bigger.

625
00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:32,400
Uh and then there you can see the the

626
00:26:29,919 --> 00:26:34,799
pivot just like alternative one with

627
00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:36,880
that pivot channel. You can see that and

628
00:26:34,799 --> 00:26:39,600
that was an image from the modeling and

629
00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:43,760
then just a few profiles of the terminal

630
00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:46,480
groin up top. And uh and I think the

631
00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:48,159
next slide Ricky I think is and then

632
00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:50,320
yeah that that was it. That's the the

633
00:26:48,159 --> 00:26:53,039
five alternatives that you know we're

634
00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:57,559
going to discuss and uh I'll just keep

635
00:26:53,039 --> 00:26:57,559
keep this everything moving forward.

636
00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:02,000
» All right. Thank you, Mr. Wei. All

637
00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,840
right. We've now reached the public

638
00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,520
testimony portion of this evening's

639
00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:07,840
hearing. As a reminder, please come

640
00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:09,360
forward to the center microphone

641
00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:11,360
promptly. When your name is called,

642
00:27:09,360 --> 00:27:12,960
state your name, your spelling, and any

643
00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:16,000
group affiliation for the court

644
00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:18,640
reporter. Your 3minut timer begins once

645
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:20,960
you state your name. The timekeeper will

646
00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:23,440
display the yellow card of 20 seconds,

647
00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:26,000
and the visual timer will indicate uh

648
00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:27,679
when your time has expired. Uh we will

649
00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,520
begin first by calling our elected

650
00:27:27,679 --> 00:27:31,440
officials, followed immediately by

651
00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:34,400
registered members of the public in the

652
00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:36,400
order of which they signed in.

653
00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:38,000
All right, so up first we have uh Mr.

654
00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:41,000
Rick Grant, the North Topsel Beach

655
00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:41,000
mayor.

656
00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:46,000
» You can do the yellow card at one

657
00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:48,000
minute. I wasn't going to speak today

658
00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,360
and kind of deference to the people that

659
00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:52,799
showed up to speak in this thing and not

660
00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:54,000
take any time. Um, important step. Thank

661
00:27:52,799 --> 00:27:55,840
you for doing this. Thank you for

662
00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,360
hearing the hearing and I look forward

663
00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:58,960
to the comments that come in. Obviously,

664
00:27:57,360 --> 00:28:02,769
we support the beach and we have a lot

665
00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,769
of beach plans. So, thank you. [snorts]

666
00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:09,120
All right. Thank you, Mr. Grant.

667
00:28:07,039 --> 00:28:11,279
Kip Malcolm

668
00:28:09,120 --> 00:28:11,840
» In the crowd. I'd rather hear from them.

669
00:28:11,279 --> 00:28:15,799
Thank you.

670
00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,799
» All right. Fred Fontana.

671
00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:19,120
» Same.

672
00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:23,080
» He said no.

673
00:28:19,120 --> 00:28:23,080
» All right. No. Mark,

674
00:28:23,279 --> 00:28:27,760
» John Gunter.

675
00:28:25,679 --> 00:28:29,600
» All right.

676
00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:32,320
So, that brings us uh to the public

677
00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:35,960
comment portion to Miss Susan Meyer,

678
00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:35,960
who's first up.

679
00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:46,240
Hi, thank you uh Susan Meyer meer.

680
00:28:43,679 --> 00:28:50,320
» And I just wanted to say that I'm in

681
00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:52,000
favor of number five for maintaining the

682
00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:56,559
infrastructure

683
00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:58,399
for the roads, utilities, and the homes

684
00:28:56,559 --> 00:29:02,080
because if it takes the homes, it's

685
00:28:58,399 --> 00:29:05,440
going to take the road. and uh for the

686
00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:08,399
recreational reasons for the beach and

687
00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:12,960
for um turtle nesting

688
00:29:08,399 --> 00:29:14,640
and also um the reduction long term in

689
00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:18,159
all the renourishment that we're going

690
00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:20,080
to have to do if we don't do anything.

691
00:29:18,159 --> 00:29:22,399
And

692
00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:25,120
we already tried to straighten the inlet

693
00:29:22,399 --> 00:29:28,559
once, so I'm not sure how that's going

694
00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:31,440
to go. But thank you for your time.

695
00:29:28,559 --> 00:29:31,440
» Thank you.

696
00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:36,039
Carrie Allen.

697
00:29:45,679 --> 00:29:49,200
» Thank you. Good evening. My name is

698
00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:51,440
Carrie Allen and I'm with the North

699
00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:53,200
Carolina Coastal Federation. We care

700
00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:54,960
deeply about North Hopsville Beach and

701
00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,720
finding a long-term approach that gives

702
00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:59,440
this community the best chance to remain

703
00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:01,120
safe, accessible, and resilient. One

704
00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:03,200
thing that stood out in our preliminary

705
00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:04,960
review of the draft EIS is that

706
00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:07,760
nourishment alone appears to provide

707
00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:09,520
substantial protection. The draft EIS is

708
00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:11,600
a considerable document. We have not had

709
00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:13,120
the opportunity to fully evaluate all of

710
00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:14,960
the modeling and its underlying

711
00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,799
assumptions, but based on what we've

712
00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,320
reviewed so far, the four-year modeling

713
00:30:16,799 --> 00:30:20,320
indicates that nourishment alone

714
00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,480
provides substantial beef width beach

715
00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:24,240
width across the project area, while

716
00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:26,480
adding the terminal groin provides an

717
00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:28,640
incremental bit more. that incremental

718
00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:31,200
benefit must be considered alongside its

719
00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:32,399
cost. The draft EIS estimates that

720
00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:34,080
construction and maintenance of the

721
00:30:32,399 --> 00:30:37,440
terminal groin would cost cost

722
00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:39,120
approximately $18 million over 30 years.

723
00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:40,960
The nourishment and offshore borrow work

724
00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:44,159
associated with the groin adds another

725
00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:46,960
67 million totaling roughly 85 million

726
00:30:44,159 --> 00:30:48,320
in direct project costs over 30 years.

727
00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:50,080
That's a significant long-term

728
00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:52,000
investment and our community deserves to

729
00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:53,919
understand not just what the groin is

730
00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:55,600
intended to accomplish, but what we are

731
00:30:53,919 --> 00:30:58,159
paying for and what we are getting in

732
00:30:55,600 --> 00:31:00,000
return. I also want to address a common

733
00:30:58,159 --> 00:31:01,919
misconception we've heard over the years

734
00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:04,080
that a terminal groin will somehow

735
00:31:01,919 --> 00:31:05,760
stabilize the inlet or solve navigation

736
00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:08,080
problems. These are two different

737
00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:10,480
issues. The draft EIS identifies

738
00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:12,480
navigation safety and channel showing as

739
00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:15,039
legitimate concerns, but the purpose of

740
00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:17,520
a terminal groin is erosion control, not

741
00:31:15,039 --> 00:31:19,440
navigation or safety. A terminal groin

742
00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:22,159
is not a jetty and is not designed to

743
00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:23,760
maintain a navigation channel. The plan

744
00:31:22,159 --> 00:31:25,600
already includes tools for managing the

745
00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:27,039
inlet and maintaining navigation,

746
00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,960
including channel management and

747
00:31:27,039 --> 00:31:30,880
dredging. So, it's important not to

748
00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:32,799
conflate the very real need to manage

749
00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:35,440
navigation with the separate question of

750
00:31:32,799 --> 00:31:37,039
how best to manage shoreline erosion.

751
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,960
The question before the core is not

752
00:31:37,039 --> 00:31:41,440
whether North Topsel Beach has a serious

753
00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,880
erosion problem. It clearly does. The

754
00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:44,559
question is whether the incremental

755
00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:47,039
benefits of a permanent hardened

756
00:31:44,559 --> 00:31:49,600
structure justify its costs and effects

757
00:31:47,039 --> 00:31:51,600
on a dynamic inlet system when the draft

758
00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,279
EIS shows that nourishment alone can

759
00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:55,039
provide substantial protection and

760
00:31:53,279 --> 00:31:56,880
whether inlet management, adaptive

761
00:31:55,039 --> 00:31:58,720
approaches, and strategic decisions

762
00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,000
about vulnerable development can provide

763
00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:02,240
meaningful protection without

764
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:05,480
permanently altering the inlet system.

765
00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:05,480
Thank you.

766
00:32:05,519 --> 00:32:11,960
Thank you, Carrie.

767
00:32:08,399 --> 00:32:11,960
Jake Derell.

768
00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:20,960
» Uh, good evening. Jake Derell speaking

769
00:32:18,399 --> 00:32:22,752
in support of alternative 5. Uh, my wife

770
00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:25,519
and I live here nearly halftime in

771
00:32:22,752 --> 00:32:28,240
[laughter] at Topsel Reef. I started a

772
00:32:25,519 --> 00:32:30,080
site called briefadvocate.com because I

773
00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,760
couldn't enjoy this beach and community

774
00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:33,679
as much as I do in one moment without

775
00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:35,279
worrying the next. The site helps people

776
00:32:33,679 --> 00:32:37,200
express why the north end is so

777
00:32:35,279 --> 00:32:38,720
important. In that process, a few things

778
00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:40,399
became clear to me that I think belong

779
00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:43,720
in the public interest discussion in the

780
00:32:40,399 --> 00:32:43,720
draft EIS.

781
00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:48,240
Uh first, um housing and lodging for

782
00:32:46,799 --> 00:32:50,159
active military, their families and

783
00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:51,760
veterans. We love giving families a

784
00:32:50,159 --> 00:32:54,960
place to connect when visiting loved

785
00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:56,960
ones at station uh stationed at Ljun. Uh

786
00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,960
my neighbors at the reef uh provide

787
00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:01,120
below market mid and long-term leases to

788
00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:02,559
active military and their families. A

789
00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:04,720
substantial portion of the reef is

790
00:33:02,559 --> 00:33:06,399
veteranowned or occupied. I believe if

791
00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:09,120
the core asked the HOAs would help

792
00:33:06,399 --> 00:33:12,399
gather more of this kind of data.

793
00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:14,640
Second, military connection or not, many

794
00:33:12,399 --> 00:33:16,480
wouldn't be able to afford the coast if

795
00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:19,200
places like the Reef or St. Regis didn't

796
00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:21,200
exist. Our unit, uh, like many, is south

797
00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:23,200
of 200 per night, much less in the

798
00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:25,519
offseason. Some reef units can sleep up

799
00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:28,399
to six or more. Elsewhere, that can cost

800
00:33:25,519 --> 00:33:30,799
over 400 per night. The draft EIS calls

801
00:33:28,399 --> 00:33:33,200
us a resort community. The reef is not a

802
00:33:30,799 --> 00:33:34,480
resort. We provide a basic bed and a

803
00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,320
tiny kitchen that affordably

804
00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:39,360
accommodates the human need to gaze out

805
00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:41,600
over the ocean. The core has to weigh

806
00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:43,760
the needs and welfare of the people.

807
00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:45,519
Coastal access is such an essential need

808
00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:47,840
that it was part of ancient Roman law

809
00:33:45,519 --> 00:33:49,840
that rolled into English common law and

810
00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:52,240
which North Carolina adopted. It's why

811
00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:54,480
we don't have private beaches here. In

812
00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:56,640
serving that need, most of us at the

813
00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:58,240
reef don't even cover expenses. The

814
00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:00,240
money goes back into the joist hangers,

815
00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:02,240
pilings, decks, and the sandbags, and

816
00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:03,840
then we do it all over again. If given

817
00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:06,320
the chance, we'll keep up being a

818
00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:09,679
steward of of this gateway to the ocean.

819
00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:11,599
Third, the the lower cost full-time

820
00:34:09,679 --> 00:34:13,119
housing at the North End, whether

821
00:34:11,599 --> 00:34:15,760
through rental or ownership, is critical

822
00:34:13,119 --> 00:34:17,520
to the local economy. County tax data

823
00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:19,599
shows that the reef and St. Reges carry

824
00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:21,280
more tax dollars per foot of beach than

825
00:34:19,599 --> 00:34:24,000
the single family blocks. The reef

826
00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:26,639
provides the most oceanfront homes per

827
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:28,879
acre. That's teachers, service workers,

828
00:34:26,639 --> 00:34:31,119
and others here serving the area because

829
00:34:28,879 --> 00:34:33,599
of these more modest options. We need to

830
00:34:31,119 --> 00:34:35,200
keep making ownership possible. In my

831
00:34:33,599 --> 00:34:37,119
first attempt at a mortgage here, Navy

832
00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:39,280
Federal backed out last minute based on

833
00:34:37,119 --> 00:34:42,159
erosion concerns. Alternative 5 could

834
00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:44,000
help make financing homes more feasible.

835
00:34:42,159 --> 00:34:46,800
Finally, by making the coast accessible,

836
00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:48,879
we get people to care about the coastal

837
00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:50,320
wildlife and the environment. I honestly

838
00:34:48,879 --> 00:34:53,280
didn't care much about turtles before I

839
00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:55,520
started coming to the reef. Now I do. I

840
00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:57,200
I like alternative five because it gives

841
00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:59,599
turtlene a chance at the north end.

842
00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:02,000
Alternative five is lasting stewardship

843
00:34:59,599 --> 00:35:03,440
for the island and all its creatures.

844
00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:04,640
Thank you for the town for getting the

845
00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:07,760
discussion to this point and the court

846
00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:10,480
for listening.

847
00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:13,880
» Thanks Jake.

848
00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:13,880
Jenna Derell.

849
00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:25,920
» Hi my name is Jenna Derell. I also have

850
00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:28,320
a script. Thanks for your time tonight.

851
00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:31,040
I live with my husband Jacob um

852
00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:33,280
part-time at uh building 7 in Topsel

853
00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:36,480
Reef on the north end. Also commenting

854
00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:39,760
in support of alternative 5. On the day

855
00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:41,599
we closed in July 2022, I watched the

856
00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:43,760
ocean crash over the bottom stairs of

857
00:35:41,599 --> 00:35:46,160
our beach access and splash onto the

858
00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:48,480
first floor decks. Our complex was

859
00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:50,160
rebuilding the sandbag line and adding

860
00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:52,640
sand around our buildings, a project

861
00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:54,480
that cost us millions of dollars. In

862
00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:56,320
preparation for this meeting, I looked

863
00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:59,200
back on photos I've taken since we

864
00:35:56,320 --> 00:36:00,800
brought our unit. The new sandbag line

865
00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:02,720
looks so sturdy when it was first

866
00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:04,880
completed and protected us from

867
00:36:02,720 --> 00:36:07,599
Hurricane Ian and then Hurricane Nicole

868
00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:11,280
that fall, but unquestionably took a hit

869
00:36:07,599 --> 00:36:13,440
in doing so. In spring of 2023, the

870
00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:16,320
North End received more than 200,000

871
00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:17,920
cubic yards of sand in a single season.

872
00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:20,160
That summer, we could walk onto the

873
00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:21,760
beach at any time of day. We walked

874
00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:23,760
every morning picking up trash and

875
00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:26,000
looking for turtle tracks. And a couple

876
00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:29,200
times, we found them.

877
00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:31,760
That didn't last. By the spring of 2024,

878
00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:34,240
we were checking the tide charts again

879
00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:35,839
to see if we could reach the beach. By

880
00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:38,480
the fall, there was no beach at any

881
00:36:35,839 --> 00:36:42,000
tide. After a storm on election night in

882
00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:44,560
2024, I went to the public access uh

883
00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:47,599
beach by Topsel Dunes and saw a whole

884
00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:50,720
swimming pool lying on the sand on the

885
00:36:47,599 --> 00:36:52,960
beach. A pool. It had washed half a mile

886
00:36:50,720 --> 00:36:55,440
from dolphin shores where pools,

887
00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:57,599
stairways, and beach accesses were

888
00:36:55,440 --> 00:37:00,640
destroyed. We lost part of our parking

889
00:36:57,599 --> 00:37:03,200
lot and gained another sandbag project.

890
00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:05,520
At that time, according to coastal

891
00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:07,839
engineer Fran Ray,

892
00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:09,760
our ongoing sandbag maintenance has been

893
00:37:07,839 --> 00:37:12,320
beneficial to us and our neighbors,

894
00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:14,640
allowing us to act as a headland. That's

895
00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:17,280
why a structure is needed. Nourishment

896
00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:19,839
alone, alternative three, is not enough.

897
00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:23,119
We've done it and I wash it wash away in

898
00:37:19,839 --> 00:37:24,800
about a year. Alternative five pairs

899
00:37:23,119 --> 00:37:27,119
nourishment with a terminal growing to

900
00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:28,880
hold the sand in place and with inlet

901
00:37:27,119 --> 00:37:30,640
management to address a channel that's

902
00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:33,440
driving erosion.

903
00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:36,320
I understand there are concerns about

904
00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:39,040
Enslow Beach and the inlet habitat. I'd

905
00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:40,800
ask the core to approve alternative 5

906
00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:43,599
with strong monitoring and clear

907
00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:47,200
triggers for corrective action if it

908
00:37:43,599 --> 00:37:49,760
impacts if impacts exceed what the DEIS

909
00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:51,920
predicts. We rent our unit at an

910
00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:54,160
affordable rate when we're not there.

911
00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:56,640
And our guest book is full of notes like

912
00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:58,480
we got to see the turtles or I can't

913
00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:00,880
believe I got to be at the beach for a

914
00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:03,280
week. and that's what's at stake. I want

915
00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:05,280
to close by mentioning the joy the north

916
00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:07,040
end brings to so many people. Please

917
00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:08,800
approve alternative five so that people

918
00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:11,040
can continue to enjoy the beach for

919
00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:13,181
years to come. Thank you. Thanks for

920
00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:14,560
your time and for doing this.

921
00:38:13,181 --> 00:38:19,800
[clears throat]

922
00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:19,800
» Thanks, Jenna. Terry Hardy.

923
00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:29,920
» Terry Hardy. I'm a full-time resident,

924
00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:32,640
North Topsel Beach, phase five, not the

925
00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:35,760
north end, but something has to be done.

926
00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:37,440
I'm in full support of phase 5. Uh, but

927
00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:39,440
I'm really here to read a letter from

928
00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:41,760
one of my neighbors. He could not be

929
00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:43,920
present.

930
00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:46,160
Uh, his name is Phil Pastino and he's

931
00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:48,160
the owner of the property located at 109

932
00:38:46,160 --> 00:38:49,680
South Bermuda Wind Drive, North

933
00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:52,320
Thompson.

934
00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:54,240
constructed his home in 2003. And

935
00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:56,880
although military service required he

936
00:38:54,240 --> 00:38:59,760
and his family to relocate out of state,

937
00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:01,680
he previously resided there full-time.

938
00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:04,079
And now that he's retired, they plan to

939
00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:06,160
move back full-time by the summer of

940
00:39:04,079 --> 00:39:08,640
2028.

941
00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:11,680
He is an avid fisherman, recreational

942
00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:14,000
boater who regularly regularly uses New

943
00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:16,079
River Inlet. Over the years, he has

944
00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:19,280
witnessed firsthand both the benefits of

945
00:39:16,079 --> 00:39:21,200
channel dredging and realignment.

946
00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:23,359
As well as the continuing challenges

947
00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:25,520
associated with shoreline erosion, loss

948
00:39:23,359 --> 00:39:28,240
of beachfront access, and damage to

949
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:30,800
private property to remain informed on

950
00:39:28,240 --> 00:39:33,520
these issues, he's attended many North

951
00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:36,000
Topsel Beach meetings whenever possible,

952
00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:38,400
but he has also followed uh closely

953
00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:39,839
discussions uh concerning the inland

954
00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:42,800
management, shoreline erosion, and

955
00:39:39,839 --> 00:39:44,960
mitigation factors. State leaders have

956
00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:47,040
finally enacted legislation and

957
00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:48,880
regulatory changes that allow for more

958
00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:52,320
permanent shoreline stabilization

959
00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:55,119
solutions, including approval authority

960
00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:57,280
for up to eight terminal groins. In his

961
00:39:55,119 --> 00:39:59,040
view, failing to pursue this opportunity

962
00:39:57,280 --> 00:40:01,760
would represent a mischallenge to

963
00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:03,440
implement a long-term solution to a

964
00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:06,160
problem that has affected the north end

965
00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:08,800
of North Thompson for decades. For this

966
00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:11,200
reason, he believes alternative five and

967
00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:13,839
at a minimum alternative four deserves

968
00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:16,000
serious consideration.

969
00:40:13,839 --> 00:40:18,560
Prior to submitting the com these

970
00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:21,520
comments, he thoroughly reviewed public

971
00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:23,680
available documents associated with the

972
00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:26,960
project through the Arma Army Corps of

973
00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:29,760
Engineers regulatory request system. In

974
00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:33,760
addition to the public notice, he uh

975
00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:36,720
reviewed 760 pages across the following

976
00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:39,760
documents. draft environmental impact

977
00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:42,880
statement. Uh the mass new river inlet

978
00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:44,880
master management plan north tops beach

979
00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:47,200
uh appendix A the public scoping

980
00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:49,760
comments the engineering and remodeling

981
00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:52,079
report the four-year model re-update and

982
00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:53,599
the effects of and the effects of the

983
00:40:52,079 --> 00:40:56,720
alternatives

984
00:40:53,599 --> 00:40:58,800
based on his review and his experience

985
00:40:56,720 --> 00:41:00,160
as a property owner and residents. He

986
00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:02,800
believes that he's well informed

987
00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:05,040
regarding the issues. He has a direct

988
00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:07,040
and substantial interest in mitigating

989
00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:09,359
the severe and chronic shoreline

990
00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:11,680
erosions that threatens residential

991
00:41:09,359 --> 00:41:14,400
structures, infrastructure, public res

992
00:41:11,680 --> 00:41:15,920
recreational act assets, and natural

993
00:41:14,400 --> 00:41:18,640
resources.

994
00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:22,640
As a resident and taxpayer, he strongly

995
00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:24,880
supports alternative five. Um the draft

996
00:41:22,640 --> 00:41:26,720
impact statement indicates that the

997
00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:29,760
total

998
00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:32,880
uh annualized cost of alternative one no

999
00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:36,720
action is approximately $ 8.4 million

1000
00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:39,440
compared to approximately $1.38 million

1001
00:41:36,720 --> 00:41:41,599
for alternative five.

1002
00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:43,119
» Terry, thank you. Your time is expired.

1003
00:41:41,599 --> 00:41:45,040
» Good enough. He thanks y'all.

1004
00:41:43,119 --> 00:41:46,960
» Please please submit the the comments in

1005
00:41:45,040 --> 00:41:49,839
writing. Uh you have the opportunity to

1006
00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:53,400
do that. Thank you.

1007
00:41:49,839 --> 00:41:53,400
Curtis Anden

1008
00:41:56,800 --> 00:42:02,319
» Curtis Anders and DS resident in North

1009
00:41:59,839 --> 00:42:04,160
Topsel Beach area. One thing that has

1010
00:42:02,319 --> 00:42:05,680
been brought up, but I can guarantee you

1011
00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:06,800
90% of the people in this building right

1012
00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:10,319
here will be able to tell you the

1013
00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:11,760
history of North Topsel Beach. 34 houses

1014
00:42:10,319 --> 00:42:13,520
were lost up there in front of the reef

1015
00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:16,160
in the north po point that's no longer

1016
00:42:13,520 --> 00:42:19,680
there. Used to be large dooms between

1017
00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:21,280
them and the reef. Gone. walkovers. Two

1018
00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:24,480
years ago, like the lady stated well

1019
00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:27,520
ago, we had a full moon, an eclipse of

1020
00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:30,400
the moon, a king tide, and a 4x3 tide

1021
00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:32,240
hit the same night. And when it did, it

1022
00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:34,560
took everything in dolphin shores all

1023
00:42:32,240 --> 00:42:36,319
the way up to their pylons in the back

1024
00:42:34,560 --> 00:42:38,560
of their house, swimming pools,

1025
00:42:36,319 --> 00:42:41,359
walkovers, and everything. Mother Nature

1026
00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:44,400
came and Mother Nature took. Okay. And

1027
00:42:41,359 --> 00:42:47,599
now since then, we've had several full

1028
00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:49,200
moons. St. Regencies got hit bad all the

1029
00:42:47,599 --> 00:42:51,280
way up almost to their swimming pool.

1030
00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:53,839
The Dolphin Shores got hit a hard again.

1031
00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:56,880
Condo row as we call it. All lost their

1032
00:42:53,839 --> 00:42:59,920
dunes. Thanks to that man right there,

1033
00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:02,160
we got a dune reenourishment in place.

1034
00:42:59,920 --> 00:43:05,040
Luckily, nothing came and hit us and we

1035
00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:07,040
got them built. It's helping us. We put

1036
00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:08,800
grass on it and help. It's shearing

1037
00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:10,640
terribly bad right now as Fran can tell

1038
00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:12,240
you right now because mother nature

1039
00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:14,960
continues to come once a month full

1040
00:43:12,240 --> 00:43:16,880
moons and takes. Okay. So, we're showed

1041
00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:18,800
in the history of the northern point. If

1042
00:43:16,880 --> 00:43:22,000
you'll go back and look, she's taken

1043
00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:25,200
just like the Outer Banks, she's taken.

1044
00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:26,800
Okay. Um, so I have seen it every day.

1045
00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:28,880
People here see it every day. When we go

1046
00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:31,040
to the beach, we see it every day. We've

1047
00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:32,960
got to continue doing something. Whether

1048
00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:36,079
it's going to be right, we in six years,

1049
00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:39,520
we don't know. But five has got to be

1050
00:43:36,079 --> 00:43:42,240
done. The two problems I do have is when

1051
00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:45,200
that beach doom nur nourishment got

1052
00:43:42,240 --> 00:43:47,599
done, we had people decide now we want

1053
00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:49,839
to put our sandbags down. They dug the

1054
00:43:47,599 --> 00:43:52,319
sand up that we paid for to dump on

1055
00:43:49,839 --> 00:43:55,280
those dunes, put it in their sandbags

1056
00:43:52,319 --> 00:43:58,640
and then dug the beach up and covered

1057
00:43:55,280 --> 00:44:00,319
the the the bags up. It's wrong. We

1058
00:43:58,640 --> 00:44:02,079
should had somebody totally supervising

1059
00:44:00,319 --> 00:44:04,800
that project from st and saying no, you

1060
00:44:02,079 --> 00:44:06,319
can't do this. you do it before was 18

1061
00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:08,880
months. We knew before that you're going

1062
00:44:06,319 --> 00:44:12,079
to do it right. Okay. The other part of

1063
00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:14,480
it when we dump uh dumped the uh sand in

1064
00:44:12,079 --> 00:44:16,240
from the pumping two years ago, a

1065
00:44:14,480 --> 00:44:18,000
contractor there, I talked to him. I

1066
00:44:16,240 --> 00:44:20,800
wanted to see his contract. His contract

1067
00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:23,280
just stated just to level the piles of

1068
00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:26,560
sand when it got out of the pipe. He

1069
00:44:23,280 --> 00:44:28,079
built a football field four feet high in

1070
00:44:26,560 --> 00:44:30,800
the middle between the reef and the

1071
00:44:28,079 --> 00:44:32,960
point and left it. water washed around

1072
00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:35,200
behind it under the houses and now you

1073
00:44:32,960 --> 00:44:37,359
go up there like Fran said, you can't

1074
00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:40,640
tell there was no no sand up there. So,

1075
00:44:37,359 --> 00:44:42,160
that has to be supervised a lot better

1076
00:44:40,640 --> 00:44:44,480
than what it was when we start

1077
00:44:42,160 --> 00:44:47,119
renourishing the beach. But, I'm totally

1078
00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:48,720
for number five. Let's give it all a

1079
00:44:47,119 --> 00:44:50,000
shot. Let's get it because mother

1080
00:44:48,720 --> 00:44:53,390
nature's going to take the north end if

1081
00:44:50,000 --> 00:44:53,760
we don't do something. Thank you.

1082
00:44:53,390 --> 00:44:56,560
[clears throat]

1083
00:44:53,760 --> 00:45:00,119
» Thanks, Curtis.

1084
00:44:56,560 --> 00:45:00,119
» Sam F.

1085
00:45:12,240 --> 00:45:18,800
Good evening. Sam Ferrari, Fe R E R I.

1086
00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:21,280
Uh, believe live on Seagull Lane,

1087
00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:23,520
full-time resident. Um, my first comment

1088
00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:25,920
has to do with the EIS report that says

1089
00:45:23,520 --> 00:45:28,160
we're a resort community.

1090
00:45:25,920 --> 00:45:29,599
I would say I would take some challenge

1091
00:45:28,160 --> 00:45:31,680
to at least the north end of North

1092
00:45:29,599 --> 00:45:33,200
Topsel. It is changing. There are a lot

1093
00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:35,520
of full-time residents there. The

1094
00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:36,960
numbers may be skewed by the couple of

1095
00:45:35,520 --> 00:45:39,040
condos up there because they're pretty

1096
00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:40,720
dense. But again, we have a lot of

1097
00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:43,760
full-time residents that live here all

1098
00:45:40,720 --> 00:45:46,000
year long and enjoy the beach, the

1099
00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:48,800
ocean, the sound, and I think the safety

1100
00:45:46,000 --> 00:45:50,960
that's required. I'm supportive of

1101
00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:53,599
alternative five with a minimum of

1102
00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:55,040
alternative four because uh I moved here

1103
00:45:53,599 --> 00:45:58,240
from Florida, lived my whole life in

1104
00:45:55,040 --> 00:46:00,079
Florida and saw beaches stop eroding

1105
00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:01,760
when terminal groins were put in,

1106
00:46:00,079 --> 00:46:04,800
especially on the West Coast Clearwater

1107
00:46:01,760 --> 00:46:06,240
area. They were basically pumping sand

1108
00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:08,560
and it was gone within two or three

1109
00:46:06,240 --> 00:46:12,079
years once they put the groin in. Better

1110
00:46:08,560 --> 00:46:14,000
fishing, um better lifestyle and less

1111
00:46:12,079 --> 00:46:16,720
maintenance of that groin. I I don't

1112
00:46:14,000 --> 00:46:19,359
know anything about the realignment of

1113
00:46:16,720 --> 00:46:21,839
the the dredging of the inlet. I know

1114
00:46:19,359 --> 00:46:25,440
the inlet is very close to the north

1115
00:46:21,839 --> 00:46:27,040
topsel side versus the camp lune side. I

1116
00:46:25,440 --> 00:46:29,200
would question that for safety. But

1117
00:46:27,040 --> 00:46:31,440
again, I'm not an engineer. I I can't

1118
00:46:29,200 --> 00:46:33,040
say that. But I think the sooner we can

1119
00:46:31,440 --> 00:46:34,960
get the terminal growing, I think the

1120
00:46:33,040 --> 00:46:38,240
better we'll be. So, keep my comments

1121
00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:41,640
short. But thank you very much.

1122
00:46:38,240 --> 00:46:41,640
» Thank you, Sam.

1123
00:46:41,680 --> 00:46:45,720
Steve Harold Jr.

1124
00:46:53,440 --> 00:46:58,400
Steve Harrell, H A R E L L. I am a

1125
00:46:56,640 --> 00:47:00,160
full-time resident here, North Topsel,

1126
00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:02,160
retired. I'm in one of the condos as a

1127
00:47:00,160 --> 00:47:03,119
full-time resident. Uh, the one thing I

1128
00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:04,880
would ask the board, I'm going to be

1129
00:47:03,119 --> 00:47:07,680
really quick, is as we do an EPA

1130
00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:09,440
assessment, I would ask them to consider

1131
00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:11,760
what the damage to the environment will

1132
00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:14,160
be if the homes and the condos end up in

1133
00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:15,599
the ocean. So, when you take a look at

1134
00:47:14,160 --> 00:47:18,319
the forever chemicals and the things

1135
00:47:15,599 --> 00:47:20,000
like that that if we don't do this,

1136
00:47:18,319 --> 00:47:21,520
where's your bigger damage? And that

1137
00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:23,200
would be my one comment is look at what

1138
00:47:21,520 --> 00:47:25,040
the environment once this happens

1139
00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:27,520
because FEMA is not going to relocate.

1140
00:47:25,040 --> 00:47:30,319
Their strategy at the moment is let it

1141
00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:31,760
fall then we'll you pay for you but they

1142
00:47:30,319 --> 00:47:33,760
won't move it they won't do anything so

1143
00:47:31,760 --> 00:47:35,440
it always ends up in the ocean there

1144
00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:36,880
other parts of North Carolina you can

1145
00:47:35,440 --> 00:47:40,720
look at where this is occurring right

1146
00:47:36,880 --> 00:47:42,880
now that's it thank you

1147
00:47:40,720 --> 00:47:46,359
» Thanks Steve

1148
00:47:42,880 --> 00:47:46,359
» Charles Walker

1149
00:47:53,280 --> 00:47:59,760
Charles Walker 15 Seagull Lane, North

1150
00:47:56,720 --> 00:48:03,599
Topsel Beach. My wife Kathy and I have

1151
00:47:59,760 --> 00:48:05,200
been longtime visitors to Topsel Island

1152
00:48:03,599 --> 00:48:07,920
our entire life. And you can look at

1153
00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:10,079
these gray hair and that's been a while.

1154
00:48:07,920 --> 00:48:12,480
Uh we've also been permanent residents

1155
00:48:10,079 --> 00:48:14,720
since 2022.

1156
00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:16,560
We are in favor of the all of the above

1157
00:48:14,720 --> 00:48:19,680
approach

1158
00:48:16,560 --> 00:48:22,400
um and the concept in option five. Any

1159
00:48:19,680 --> 00:48:24,079
and all options should be considered in

1160
00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:26,000
the securing and maintaining of the

1161
00:48:24,079 --> 00:48:28,880
dunes and beaches on the entirety of

1162
00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:30,960
Topsel Island. Hopefully within the next

1163
00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:33,119
year and a year and a half to two years,

1164
00:48:30,960 --> 00:48:36,400
we'll see the completed phases of one

1165
00:48:33,119 --> 00:48:39,359
through three finished up to where the

1166
00:48:36,400 --> 00:48:42,319
entire island will be protected by

1167
00:48:39,359 --> 00:48:44,480
engineered beaches

1168
00:48:42,319 --> 00:48:46,400
so that all of Topsel Beach will have

1169
00:48:44,480 --> 00:48:48,400
engineered beaches. And if I'd just kept

1170
00:48:46,400 --> 00:48:50,480
reading, we'd known that by having

1171
00:48:48,400 --> 00:48:52,480
engineered beaches, my understanding,

1172
00:48:50,480 --> 00:48:55,839
and Chris, you can back me up on this if

1173
00:48:52,480 --> 00:48:58,319
I'm wrong, um any lost sand can and will

1174
00:48:55,839 --> 00:49:00,640
be replaced. All of these projects

1175
00:48:58,319 --> 00:49:02,400
working together should help protect our

1176
00:49:00,640 --> 00:49:05,599
coastal communities in the distant

1177
00:49:02,400 --> 00:49:08,800
future. And perhaps as a suggestion,

1178
00:49:05,599 --> 00:49:11,760
when uh this year's Jacksonville Channel

1179
00:49:08,800 --> 00:49:14,000
dredge project is done, perhaps the

1180
00:49:11,760 --> 00:49:16,160
contractor can be allowed or at least

1181
00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:19,119
instructed to start his pumping

1182
00:49:16,160 --> 00:49:21,680
operations closer to the reef so that

1183
00:49:19,119 --> 00:49:23,920
more more material might be available

1184
00:49:21,680 --> 00:49:26,640
down towards the St. Regis and Topppsel

1185
00:49:23,920 --> 00:49:28,319
Dunes area rather than just stopping at

1186
00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:30,400
the reef which has happened the last

1187
00:49:28,319 --> 00:49:33,760
couple of times. Just some things to

1188
00:49:30,400 --> 00:49:36,000
consider. Thank you for your time.

1189
00:49:33,760 --> 00:49:39,400
Thank you, Charles.

1190
00:49:36,000 --> 00:49:39,400
Chris Gibson.

1191
00:49:43,520 --> 00:49:48,160
» Good evening. My name is Chris Gibson.

1192
00:49:45,200 --> 00:49:50,640
CH R I S Gibbs Oo N. Uh I'm a resident

1193
00:49:48,160 --> 00:49:52,240
of Hamstead. Uh I'm also a coastal

1194
00:49:50,640 --> 00:49:53,599
engineer that's worked with these towns

1195
00:49:52,240 --> 00:49:55,839
up and down the island for several

1196
00:49:53,599 --> 00:49:57,440
years. Many of you that may know my work

1197
00:49:55,839 --> 00:49:59,599
know that I am one that is a proponent

1198
00:49:57,440 --> 00:50:01,040
of soft solutions usually uh with my

1199
00:49:59,599 --> 00:50:03,200
inlet management projects at Topsel

1200
00:50:01,040 --> 00:50:04,640
Beach and at Mason's Inlet. However,

1201
00:50:03,200 --> 00:50:06,720
North Topsel Beach is one of those

1202
00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:08,480
places where a hardened structure is

1203
00:50:06,720 --> 00:50:11,119
probably much more applicable because of

1204
00:50:08,480 --> 00:50:14,160
the way the inlet behaves. Um we're

1205
00:50:11,119 --> 00:50:15,680
looking at trying to avoid the sediment

1206
00:50:14,160 --> 00:50:18,640
reversal that happens right around the

1207
00:50:15,680 --> 00:50:20,720
inlet. uh you have the area uh currently

1208
00:50:18,640 --> 00:50:22,880
the reefs act as a headland as someone

1209
00:50:20,720 --> 00:50:24,800
mentioned before almost like a terminal

1210
00:50:22,880 --> 00:50:26,400
groin in itself and we're dealing with

1211
00:50:24,800 --> 00:50:29,599
properties that are beyond the terminus

1212
00:50:26,400 --> 00:50:31,839
of an existing terminal groin. Um so

1213
00:50:29,599 --> 00:50:34,559
when you look at that the long the

1214
00:50:31,839 --> 00:50:37,119
impacts longshore uh further down the

1215
00:50:34,559 --> 00:50:38,880
beach that may be of concern to people

1216
00:50:37,119 --> 00:50:40,800
in southern North Topsel Beach, Surf

1217
00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:42,880
City or Topsel, it just really isn't

1218
00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:46,240
there. It's all in the sediment reversal

1219
00:50:42,880 --> 00:50:48,480
inside the Esho uh dimensions. Um I am a

1220
00:50:46,240 --> 00:50:50,559
proponent of doing all of the above

1221
00:50:48,480 --> 00:50:52,319
scenario. I think that's a good way to

1222
00:50:50,559 --> 00:50:53,200
do it. Inlet management, you have to

1223
00:50:52,319 --> 00:50:54,800
look at all of these things

1224
00:50:53,200 --> 00:50:56,240
holistically. You can't look at the

1225
00:50:54,800 --> 00:50:57,359
beach separate from the inlet. You can't

1226
00:50:56,240 --> 00:50:59,280
look at the inlet separate from the

1227
00:50:57,359 --> 00:51:00,800
beach. There's navigation stuff that

1228
00:50:59,280 --> 00:51:04,640
goes on that the core of engineers is

1229
00:51:00,800 --> 00:51:06,400
doing. There are proposed uh changes at

1230
00:51:04,640 --> 00:51:08,079
camp lune that may be bringing bigger

1231
00:51:06,400 --> 00:51:10,000
vessels in here which is going to

1232
00:51:08,079 --> 00:51:11,520
implement inlet management regardless of

1233
00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:15,040
whether there's a terminal groin here or

1234
00:51:11,520 --> 00:51:16,400
not. Uh that may in itself endanger the

1235
00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:19,599
properties that are at the very north

1236
00:51:16,400 --> 00:51:20,880
end. Um, one of the things that, um, I

1237
00:51:19,599 --> 00:51:22,559
see in a terminal groin that is an

1238
00:51:20,880 --> 00:51:24,800
advantage that many probably have not

1239
00:51:22,559 --> 00:51:26,960
thought about is that the terminal groin

1240
00:51:24,800 --> 00:51:30,319
extends all the way west of New River

1241
00:51:26,960 --> 00:51:33,760
inlet Road. And while there may be some

1242
00:51:30,319 --> 00:51:36,240
uh, loss of habitat or or u movement of

1243
00:51:33,760 --> 00:51:37,680
habitat over onto the onslow beach side,

1244
00:51:36,240 --> 00:51:40,319
one of the things it's going to do is

1245
00:51:37,680 --> 00:51:41,839
dissuade swimming at at New River inlet.

1246
00:51:40,319 --> 00:51:42,960
And that's something that we really need

1247
00:51:41,839 --> 00:51:45,040
to see happen because we've had

1248
00:51:42,960 --> 00:51:47,119
significant loss of life over the years

1249
00:51:45,040 --> 00:51:49,040
from people swimming in that inlet. this

1250
00:51:47,119 --> 00:51:51,920
structure will dissuade that and will

1251
00:51:49,040 --> 00:51:54,079
probably save lives. So, um, thank you

1252
00:51:51,920 --> 00:51:57,480
for your time.

1253
00:51:54,079 --> 00:51:57,480
» Thank you, Chris.

1254
00:51:58,240 --> 00:52:01,800
» William Snider.

1255
00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:14,240
» Uh, good evening. My name is William

1256
00:52:10,480 --> 00:52:15,680
Snyder. Snyder Der. Uh I'm the chairman

1257
00:52:14,240 --> 00:52:18,160
of the Topsel Island Shoreline

1258
00:52:15,680 --> 00:52:19,680
Protection Commission. I'm here on

1259
00:52:18,160 --> 00:52:22,720
behalf of the commission in North

1260
00:52:19,680 --> 00:52:24,640
Topsale Beach, one of three island towns

1261
00:52:22,720 --> 00:52:27,280
that make up Topsile Island located in

1262
00:52:24,640 --> 00:52:30,079
Enslow and Pender counties. The mission

1263
00:52:27,280 --> 00:52:32,960
of the commission is to actively support

1264
00:52:30,079 --> 00:52:35,920
and promote plans and programs to

1265
00:52:32,960 --> 00:52:38,480
increase the island's resiliency and to

1266
00:52:35,920 --> 00:52:40,800
support and promote development and

1267
00:52:38,480 --> 00:52:43,200
execution of the North Carolina beach

1268
00:52:40,800 --> 00:52:45,520
and inlet management plan.

1269
00:52:43,200 --> 00:52:47,920
One of our primary purposes is to

1270
00:52:45,520 --> 00:52:50,480
promote the routine maintenance of area

1271
00:52:47,920 --> 00:52:52,640
navigation channels and the beneficial

1272
00:52:50,480 --> 00:52:54,720
placement of the appropriate

1273
00:52:52,640 --> 00:52:57,040
corresponding dredge spoils onto our

1274
00:52:54,720 --> 00:52:59,040
beaches

1275
00:52:57,040 --> 00:53:01,920
as examples of island resiliency

1276
00:52:59,040 --> 00:53:04,160
projects that we support. Surf City just

1277
00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:06,480
recently signed a project partnership

1278
00:53:04,160 --> 00:53:08,160
agreement with the US Army Corps of

1279
00:53:06,480 --> 00:53:11,200
Engineers that is leading up to a

1280
00:53:08,160 --> 00:53:14,720
50-year coastal storm

1281
00:53:11,200 --> 00:53:17,599
risk management program. Topsil Beach

1282
00:53:14,720 --> 00:53:19,200
has had an engine engineered beach since

1283
00:53:17,599 --> 00:53:21,440
2011.

1284
00:53:19,200 --> 00:53:24,559
She has benefited from periodic beach

1285
00:53:21,440 --> 00:53:27,359
nourishment and in maintenance projects.

1286
00:53:24,559 --> 00:53:29,520
North Topsel Beach has conducted

1287
00:53:27,359 --> 00:53:32,480
numerous beach and inlet management

1288
00:53:29,520 --> 00:53:36,319
projects, but it is now clearly in need

1289
00:53:32,480 --> 00:53:39,520
of inlet stabilization at its north end.

1290
00:53:36,319 --> 00:53:41,440
As is pointed out in the draft EIS, the

1291
00:53:39,520 --> 00:53:43,280
erosion rate at the north end of Topsel

1292
00:53:41,440 --> 00:53:46,800
Island in the inlet hazard area has been

1293
00:53:43,280 --> 00:53:49,440
as much as 240 ft per year. What were

1294
00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:51,760
second row homes are now protected by a

1295
00:53:49,440 --> 00:53:53,839
sandbag revetment.

1296
00:53:51,760 --> 00:53:56,000
Only this partially destroyed re

1297
00:53:53,839 --> 00:54:00,160
revetment is preventing catastrophic

1298
00:53:56,000 --> 00:54:01,920
erosion under those 22 structures in 44

1299
00:54:00,160 --> 00:54:04,240
residences.

1300
00:54:01,920 --> 00:54:06,319
The commission supports the town's

1301
00:54:04,240 --> 00:54:09,440
preferred alternative as described in

1302
00:54:06,319 --> 00:54:12,559
the EIS. The construction of a terminal

1303
00:54:09,440 --> 00:54:14,960
groin combined with beach nourishment

1304
00:54:12,559 --> 00:54:17,680
and inlet management is to us the best

1305
00:54:14,960 --> 00:54:20,720
long-term management option of those

1306
00:54:17,680 --> 00:54:24,240
presented. Here's one of the one of the

1307
00:54:20,720 --> 00:54:26,960
positive effects that we see. Property

1308
00:54:24,240 --> 00:54:29,920
protection. The value of the property

1309
00:54:26,960 --> 00:54:33,680
protected and the tax revenue obligated

1310
00:54:29,920 --> 00:54:36,400
from 48 oceanfront properties and 779

1311
00:54:33,680 --> 00:54:42,319
individually owned housing units that

1312
00:54:36,400 --> 00:54:44,720
are at risk is in excess of $386 million

1313
00:54:42,319 --> 00:54:46,800
for a 30-year planning cycle. It is

1314
00:54:44,720 --> 00:54:48,800
estimated that in addition to initial

1315
00:54:46,800 --> 00:54:50,240
construction costs, nourishment events

1316
00:54:48,800 --> 00:54:52,720
every four years would cost

1317
00:54:50,240 --> 00:54:55,520
approximately 58

1318
00:54:52,720 --> 00:54:58,000
million dollars over the 30-year life.

1319
00:54:55,520 --> 00:54:59,760
In conclusion, in 2011, the North

1320
00:54:58,000 --> 00:55:01,599
Carolina General Assembly passed a law

1321
00:54:59,760 --> 00:55:03,760
that allowed terminal groins at certain

1322
00:55:01,599 --> 00:55:06,640
inlets, including Oregon Inlet, Ridg's

1323
00:55:03,760 --> 00:55:09,200
Inlet, Cho inlet, and New River Inlet.

1324
00:55:06,640 --> 00:55:11,200
Considering the increasing threats posed

1325
00:55:09,200 --> 00:55:12,960
by climate change and sea level rise,

1326
00:55:11,200 --> 00:55:14,559
now is the time to implement plans to

1327
00:55:12,960 --> 00:55:16,880
better protect the north end of Topsel

1328
00:55:14,559 --> 00:55:19,920
Beach. Tops Island. Thank you.

1329
00:55:16,880 --> 00:55:23,559
» Thank you, William.

1330
00:55:19,920 --> 00:55:23,559
» Uh Mike Benson.

1331
00:55:38,960 --> 00:55:43,359
I'm Mike Benson, a resident at 220

1332
00:55:41,440 --> 00:55:45,440
Oyster Lane, North Hubs Beach. I'm a

1333
00:55:43,359 --> 00:55:46,960
past alderman here in the town and a

1334
00:55:45,440 --> 00:55:49,280
current representative of Hopsville

1335
00:55:46,960 --> 00:55:51,119
Island Fire and Protection Commission.

1336
00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:53,599
My comments are in addition to those

1337
00:55:51,119 --> 00:55:56,240
made on behalf of the commission, which

1338
00:55:53,599 --> 00:55:58,160
of course I support. The town's

1339
00:55:56,240 --> 00:56:01,200
preferred alternative described in the

1340
00:55:58,160 --> 00:56:03,440
draft EIS to construct a terminal groin

1341
00:56:01,200 --> 00:56:06,160
combined with beach nourishment and

1342
00:56:03,440 --> 00:56:08,880
inlet management is to me the best

1343
00:56:06,160 --> 00:56:11,280
long-term management option of those

1344
00:56:08,880 --> 00:56:13,760
presented. Having lived behind the

1345
00:56:11,280 --> 00:56:15,760
town's reetment for the past 11 years, I

1346
00:56:13,760 --> 00:56:18,000
have seen each of these nourishment

1347
00:56:15,760 --> 00:56:19,839
events unfold.

1348
00:56:18,000 --> 00:56:25,359
We were so impressed with the initial

1349
00:56:19,839 --> 00:56:28,240
results of the two uh 2012 2013 ebtide

1350
00:56:25,359 --> 00:56:31,520
channel dredge project that put over

1351
00:56:28,240 --> 00:56:33,680
500,000 cubic yards of sand along our

1352
00:56:31,520 --> 00:56:37,880
beach. We purchased our retirement home

1353
00:56:33,680 --> 00:56:37,880
in 2014.

1354
00:56:38,079 --> 00:56:42,640
As pointed out, however,

1355
00:56:40,559 --> 00:56:45,920
the sand barely lasted a year, mainly

1356
00:56:42,640 --> 00:56:49,359
due to dredging the six- foot deep

1357
00:56:45,920 --> 00:56:53,119
authorized channel to a depth of 18 ft.

1358
00:56:49,359 --> 00:56:56,000
This left an unnatural uh channel trench

1359
00:56:53,119 --> 00:56:58,960
that quickly refilled from the strong

1360
00:56:56,000 --> 00:57:02,880
downdrift uh current along the inlet

1361
00:56:58,960 --> 00:57:06,000
hazard area shoreline. Thus in 200

1362
00:57:02,880 --> 00:57:08,799
20,000 2015

1363
00:57:06,000 --> 00:57:10,799
the town was in a position to construct

1364
00:57:08,799 --> 00:57:13,920
other revetment to protect the resulting

1365
00:57:10,799 --> 00:57:16,559
threatened homes. The Army Corps's by

1366
00:57:13,920 --> 00:57:18,880
annual dredging of the ICW at Cedar Bush

1367
00:57:16,559 --> 00:57:21,440
cut and channelled to Jacksonville in

1368
00:57:18,880 --> 00:57:24,480
the winter has deposed about 100,000

1369
00:57:21,440 --> 00:57:27,040
cubic yards of beach quality sand placed

1370
00:57:24,480 --> 00:57:30,000
in front of the town's revetment. This

1371
00:57:27,040 --> 00:57:32,799
sand typically lasts uh through the

1372
00:57:30,000 --> 00:57:34,880
summer but is eventually eroded away.

1373
00:57:32,799 --> 00:57:36,640
There is no doubt in my mind that only a

1374
00:57:34,880 --> 00:57:39,440
groin with inlet management beach

1375
00:57:36,640 --> 00:57:42,559
nourishment will keep sand placed in the

1376
00:57:39,440 --> 00:57:46,079
project area. One glaring emission in

1377
00:57:42,559 --> 00:57:47,920
the draft EIS is a statement uh that the

1378
00:57:46,079 --> 00:57:50,960
effects of sea level rise were

1379
00:57:47,920 --> 00:57:55,160
considered in the 30-year predictions.

1380
00:57:50,960 --> 00:57:55,160
Sea level rise experts

1381
00:57:59,920 --> 00:58:04,240
predict that Topsel Island and the East

1382
00:58:02,079 --> 00:58:07,280
Coast will experience a sea level rise

1383
00:58:04,240 --> 00:58:09,040
of 1 foot by 2050.

1384
00:58:07,280 --> 00:58:11,760
There is no clear statement in the draft

1385
00:58:09,040 --> 00:58:14,880
EIS that sea level rise was considered

1386
00:58:11,760 --> 00:58:17,520
as part of the 30-year predictions. In

1387
00:58:14,880 --> 00:58:20,319
conclusion, all the evidence points to

1388
00:58:17,520 --> 00:58:22,480
the need for a terminal groin with inlet

1389
00:58:20,319 --> 00:58:24,799
management and beach nourishment. If we

1390
00:58:22,480 --> 00:58:28,160
are protective property at the north end

1391
00:58:24,799 --> 00:58:31,119
of North Topsel Beach shoreline, one

1392
00:58:28,160 --> 00:58:33,680
only has to look to the successful Ocean

1393
00:58:31,119 --> 00:58:37,280
Isle Beach terminal growing project

1394
00:58:33,680 --> 00:58:39,280
completed in 2022 to see the benefits

1395
00:58:37,280 --> 00:58:42,880
that terminal growing will bring to

1396
00:58:39,280 --> 00:58:45,760
North Topsel Beach. Thank you.

1397
00:58:42,880 --> 00:58:49,240
Thank you, Mike.

1398
00:58:45,760 --> 00:58:49,240
» Jeffrey Wells.

1399
00:58:55,280 --> 00:58:59,280
Good evening. I'm going to apologize

1400
00:58:56,880 --> 00:59:01,520
right off the bat. I am not an ortor. I

1401
00:58:59,280 --> 00:59:03,359
am a author and a writer and I do real

1402
00:59:01,520 --> 00:59:05,760
estate, but I've lived on this island

1403
00:59:03,359 --> 00:59:08,799
for nearly a decade. I own multiple

1404
00:59:05,760 --> 00:59:11,200
properties in North Topsel Beach. Um,

1405
00:59:08,799 --> 00:59:13,119
and I've written extensively on

1406
00:59:11,200 --> 00:59:14,720
specifically

1407
00:59:13,119 --> 00:59:17,520
dozens of articles on the shoreline

1408
00:59:14,720 --> 00:59:19,680
erosion issue. Uh, the impact, the

1409
00:59:17,520 --> 00:59:21,839
environmental impacts, um, the impacts

1410
00:59:19,680 --> 00:59:24,000
that it has on our wildlife, sea

1411
00:59:21,839 --> 00:59:25,839
turtles, nesting, nesting habitats, and

1412
00:59:24,000 --> 00:59:27,359
I've also done it and written articles

1413
00:59:25,839 --> 00:59:29,280
and published articles on the other

1414
00:59:27,359 --> 00:59:32,880
side, the economic impact that it has on

1415
00:59:29,280 --> 00:59:34,799
homeowners, the economy, tourism. We've

1416
00:59:32,880 --> 00:59:37,119
all seen this island change over the

1417
00:59:34,799 --> 00:59:39,920
last few years, especially since co.

1418
00:59:37,119 --> 00:59:41,680
We've had a huge boom, a lot of new

1419
00:59:39,920 --> 00:59:43,520
construction, people buying, moving

1420
00:59:41,680 --> 00:59:47,680
here, people that didn't even know this

1421
00:59:43,520 --> 00:59:50,240
island existed. Um, with that comes

1422
00:59:47,680 --> 00:59:53,040
problems and we have to have financial

1423
00:59:50,240 --> 00:59:54,960
resources and

1424
00:59:53,040 --> 00:59:56,799
resources available to fix the problems

1425
00:59:54,960 --> 00:59:58,880
that will keep people coming back.

1426
00:59:56,799 --> 01:00:02,160
People will not come here if we have

1427
00:59:58,880 --> 01:00:04,079
beaches that are 10, 15 feet wide. if

1428
01:00:02,160 --> 01:00:06,319
there's areas where there's no beaches

1429
01:00:04,079 --> 01:00:07,920
and they're getting literally risked of

1430
01:00:06,319 --> 01:00:09,359
getting swept away in the water walking

1431
01:00:07,920 --> 01:00:12,640
down the beach on the north end of the

1432
01:00:09,359 --> 01:00:15,119
aisle just because they're walking along

1433
01:00:12,640 --> 01:00:18,400
the beach and it's close to high tide.

1434
01:00:15,119 --> 01:00:20,400
It's dangerous. It's an actual serious

1435
01:00:18,400 --> 01:00:22,640
risk to people that come and visit this

1436
01:00:20,400 --> 01:00:25,280
island that want to enjoy this island.

1437
01:00:22,640 --> 01:00:26,480
Um, I've published too much on it. I'm

1438
01:00:25,280 --> 01:00:27,599
not going to go into detail. I think

1439
01:00:26,480 --> 01:00:29,839
there's a lot more people here than I

1440
01:00:27,599 --> 01:00:32,240
expected to come and speak tonight. Um,

1441
01:00:29,839 --> 01:00:34,319
I'm gonna say this.

1442
01:00:32,240 --> 01:00:35,839
We've tried everything else. We've we've

1443
01:00:34,319 --> 01:00:37,040
spent taxpayer dollars over and over

1444
01:00:35,839 --> 01:00:39,839
again. We've watched them, as people

1445
01:00:37,040 --> 01:00:41,520
have said before, wash away. We have a

1446
01:00:39,839 --> 01:00:43,839
noraster potentially coming in right

1447
01:00:41,520 --> 01:00:45,280
now, you know, coming in. That's again,

1448
01:00:43,839 --> 01:00:48,319
we're going to stand by and watch and

1449
01:00:45,280 --> 01:00:50,400
see the same thing happen. Erosion,

1450
01:00:48,319 --> 01:00:53,040
you know, to the extreme detriment of

1451
01:00:50,400 --> 01:00:55,119
the dunes, the island, the properties.

1452
01:00:53,040 --> 01:00:57,680
Um, I think all the homeowners are just

1453
01:00:55,119 --> 01:00:59,440
very frustrated and tired. And I think

1454
01:00:57,680 --> 01:01:01,520
obviously option four, I've advocated

1455
01:00:59,440 --> 01:01:03,520
for the terminal groin. I've worked for

1456
01:01:01,520 --> 01:01:05,200
six years to, you know, repeal the

1457
01:01:03,520 --> 01:01:06,880
legislative ban on hard and structures

1458
01:01:05,200 --> 01:01:10,079
with Senator Zara and I've pushed that

1459
01:01:06,880 --> 01:01:11,839
really heavily this year, lobbying. Um,

1460
01:01:10,079 --> 01:01:13,119
I think something needs to be done and I

1461
01:01:11,839 --> 01:01:15,200
hope that you do what's in the best

1462
01:01:13,119 --> 01:01:16,960
interest of the island, the environment,

1463
01:01:15,200 --> 01:01:19,280
and the homeowners and the community as

1464
01:01:16,960 --> 01:01:21,760
a whole. I appreciate you getting you

1465
01:01:19,280 --> 01:01:23,520
guys taking the time to listen to

1466
01:01:21,760 --> 01:01:26,000
everyone, hear us, hear our thoughts,

1467
01:01:23,520 --> 01:01:27,920
and you know, consider all of our

1468
01:01:26,000 --> 01:01:30,079
opinions, our feelings, and all the

1469
01:01:27,920 --> 01:01:32,000
options that are put forth. But I think

1470
01:01:30,079 --> 01:01:34,799
the terminal groin is at very much at

1471
01:01:32,000 --> 01:01:37,040
minimum a necessity at this point. So,

1472
01:01:34,799 --> 01:01:38,960
thank you.

1473
01:01:37,040 --> 01:01:42,440
» Thank you, Jeffrey.

1474
01:01:38,960 --> 01:01:42,440
Julie Youngman.

1475
01:01:49,599 --> 01:01:56,319
» Good evening. Um I'm Julie Youngman, Yo

1476
01:01:52,079 --> 01:01:59,359
U NG M-N with um SEC. Um I'm still

1477
01:01:56,319 --> 01:02:01,040
digesting the the DEIS, but um really

1478
01:01:59,359 --> 01:02:02,960
appreciate the opportunity to come and

1479
01:02:01,040 --> 01:02:05,920
speak tonight about one or more

1480
01:02:02,960 --> 01:02:07,920
concerns. Um, at SCLC, we really care

1481
01:02:05,920 --> 01:02:09,920
deeply about the long-term vitality of

1482
01:02:07,920 --> 01:02:12,160
the coastal communities of the state.

1483
01:02:09,920 --> 01:02:14,480
And I personally feel lucky to um have a

1484
01:02:12,160 --> 01:02:16,160
friend with a one of the duplexes at the

1485
01:02:14,480 --> 01:02:18,400
north end of the island north of the

1486
01:02:16,160 --> 01:02:20,079
tiki bar. And so I got to stay there

1487
01:02:18,400 --> 01:02:21,839
when the high tide was under the house

1488
01:02:20,079 --> 01:02:23,760
and I got to stay there during a beach

1489
01:02:21,839 --> 01:02:25,280
nourishment project and then I got to

1490
01:02:23,760 --> 01:02:27,760
stay there after a beach nourishment

1491
01:02:25,280 --> 01:02:29,440
project. So I I I feel deeply the the

1492
01:02:27,760 --> 01:02:32,000
need to do something at the north end of

1493
01:02:29,440 --> 01:02:34,240
the island. Um I'm not here to speak for

1494
01:02:32,000 --> 01:02:37,440
or against any particular alternative

1495
01:02:34,240 --> 01:02:40,400
but to identify issues that um I would

1496
01:02:37,440 --> 01:02:42,319
encourage the core to study in in real

1497
01:02:40,400 --> 01:02:44,640
depth um in light of you know somebody

1498
01:02:42,319 --> 01:02:46,079
mentioned the ocean aisle beach uh

1499
01:02:44,640 --> 01:02:47,359
terminal groin which is working out

1500
01:02:46,079 --> 01:02:48,960
great for some people but there are

1501
01:02:47,359 --> 01:02:51,920
people on the downdrift side that would

1502
01:02:48,960 --> 01:02:53,520
say it's not the greatest success. So um

1503
01:02:51,920 --> 01:02:56,160
I think there are things that need to be

1504
01:02:53,520 --> 01:02:57,920
studied in in depth to make sure that um

1505
01:02:56,160 --> 01:03:00,079
any solution that's selected works out

1506
01:02:57,920 --> 01:03:03,119
for everybody. Um the modeling in

1507
01:03:00,079 --> 01:03:05,280
appendix C shows that the benefits um of

1508
01:03:03,119 --> 01:03:07,839
a terminal groin come with significant

1509
01:03:05,280 --> 01:03:10,640
downsides. Um I'm just taking this from

1510
01:03:07,839 --> 01:03:12,720
the appendix. I think it's um big

1511
01:03:10,640 --> 01:03:14,480
changes to inlet channels, sediment

1512
01:03:12,720 --> 01:03:17,520
transport patterns, shoreline

1513
01:03:14,480 --> 01:03:20,240
orientation, shos, habitat for protected

1514
01:03:17,520 --> 01:03:21,599
species and other wildlife. Um so the

1515
01:03:20,240 --> 01:03:23,440
core needs to I would really encourage

1516
01:03:21,599 --> 01:03:26,559
you to really study those in depth and

1517
01:03:23,440 --> 01:03:29,440
not give any of them short shrift. Um, I

1518
01:03:26,559 --> 01:03:31,280
would also say that a terminal groin may

1519
01:03:29,440 --> 01:03:33,680
or may not be cost-effective if you

1520
01:03:31,280 --> 01:03:36,480
think about um all the costs that one of

1521
01:03:33,680 --> 01:03:38,880
the other commenters listed out in

1522
01:03:36,480 --> 01:03:41,119
addition to all those uh the costs the

1523
01:03:38,880 --> 01:03:43,839
kind of non-monetary costs of all those

1524
01:03:41,119 --> 01:03:48,079
other um downsides identified in the

1525
01:03:43,839 --> 01:03:50,160
DEIS. Um and again like just building a

1526
01:03:48,079 --> 01:03:52,079
groin won't necessarily what will not

1527
01:03:50,160 --> 01:03:54,480
eliminate the need for repetitive and

1528
01:03:52,079 --> 01:03:56,880
expensive beach nourishment and inlet

1529
01:03:54,480 --> 01:03:58,400
dredging projects. Um I would encourage

1530
01:03:56,880 --> 01:04:00,319
the core to take into account the

1531
01:03:58,400 --> 01:04:02,400
findings of the North Carolina Coastal

1532
01:04:00,319 --> 01:04:05,039
Resources Commission. They just uh the

1533
01:04:02,400 --> 01:04:07,200
the it's a collection of really smart um

1534
01:04:05,039 --> 01:04:08,720
scientists uh from across the state and

1535
01:04:07,200 --> 01:04:11,280
they issued this report called the

1536
01:04:08,720 --> 01:04:15,039
effects of hard structures on sandy open

1537
01:04:11,280 --> 01:04:17,359
co open ocean coastlines. Um the report

1538
01:04:15,039 --> 01:04:19,599
says all structural approaches in placed

1539
01:04:17,359 --> 01:04:21,440
with the intention of mitigating erosion

1540
01:04:19,599 --> 01:04:23,440
by trapping the sand in place like

1541
01:04:21,440 --> 01:04:25,839
terminal groins lead to the same

1542
01:04:23,440 --> 01:04:28,240
inevitable impact an increase in

1543
01:04:25,839 --> 01:04:30,000
shoreline erosion downdrift. So just

1544
01:04:28,240 --> 01:04:33,200
keep remembering the people downdrift.

1545
01:04:30,000 --> 01:04:35,280
The the c um the report concludes with

1546
01:04:33,200 --> 01:04:36,960
um this statement. The science panel

1547
01:04:35,280 --> 01:04:39,200
recommends that North Carolina maintain

1548
01:04:36,960 --> 01:04:41,680
a cautious approach to any expansion of

1549
01:04:39,200 --> 01:04:43,839
the use of hardened structures. Um,

1550
01:04:41,680 --> 01:04:46,559
let's see. Like I mentioned before,

1551
01:04:43,839 --> 01:04:50,640
Oceanell Beach, Buxton Beach is another

1552
01:04:46,559 --> 01:04:53,119
um place where we can see the the

1553
01:04:50,640 --> 01:04:54,960
downdrift effects of a a jetty. Um, I

1554
01:04:53,119 --> 01:04:57,760
would just say you need to evaluate the

1555
01:04:54,960 --> 01:05:00,240
cost. Uh, whether the additional width

1556
01:04:57,760 --> 01:05:03,280
that a terminal groin will provide is um

1557
01:05:00,240 --> 01:05:05,119
sufficient uh to justify the cost and

1558
01:05:03,280 --> 01:05:06,960
just make sure you're studying hard all

1559
01:05:05,119 --> 01:05:10,400
the effects of of everything. Thank you.

1560
01:05:06,960 --> 01:05:12,720
» Thank you, Julie. Sorry.

1561
01:05:10,400 --> 01:05:15,039
All right. All individuals uh who

1562
01:05:12,720 --> 01:05:16,960
registered to speak have now been heard.

1563
01:05:15,039 --> 01:05:19,119
Is there anyone present uh who

1564
01:05:16,960 --> 01:05:21,359
registered to speak whose name was not

1565
01:05:19,119 --> 01:05:22,400
called?

1566
01:05:21,359 --> 01:05:25,119
Want to make sure we didn't miss

1567
01:05:22,400 --> 01:05:26,720
anybody. All right. Seeing none, I want

1568
01:05:25,119 --> 01:05:28,480
to reiterate that every oral statement

1569
01:05:26,720 --> 01:05:30,480
made tonight has been recorded by our

1570
01:05:28,480 --> 01:05:32,319
court reporter and will be included

1571
01:05:30,480 --> 01:05:34,880
verbatim in the official administrative

1572
01:05:32,319 --> 01:05:37,039
record. For those who wish to submit

1573
01:05:34,880 --> 01:05:39,039
written comments or review the complete

1574
01:05:37,039 --> 01:05:41,520
draft environmental impact statement,

1575
01:05:39,039 --> 01:05:44,079
please refer to the screen uh and the

1576
01:05:41,520 --> 01:05:47,520
handouts at the comment table outside.

1577
01:05:44,079 --> 01:05:49,440
Emily Hughes's contact information. Um

1578
01:05:47,520 --> 01:05:51,839
and the mailing address are provided

1579
01:05:49,440 --> 01:05:54,000
there. As a final reminder, all comments

1580
01:05:51,839 --> 01:05:56,960
on the draft EIS must be received or

1581
01:05:54,000 --> 01:05:59,920
postmarked no later than Monday, October

1582
01:05:56,960 --> 01:06:01,280
19th, 2026.

1583
01:05:59,920 --> 01:06:02,799
Thank you all once again for your

1584
01:06:01,280 --> 01:06:04,559
attendance, your patience, your

1585
01:06:02,799 --> 01:06:09,119
contributions to this regulatory

1586
01:06:04,559 --> 01:06:09,119
process. Safe travels home this evening.