Sushma Masemore Deputy Secretary for Environment | North Carolina Department Of Environmental Quality
Sushma Masemore Deputy Secretary for Environment | North Carolina Department Of Environmental Quality
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Coastal Management is inviting applications for Phases 1 through 4 of the N.C. Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP). This initiative aims to bolster local coastal resilience. An estimated $2 million will be available for Phases 1 and 2 in the fiscal year 2025-2026, while approximately $6 million is allocated for Phases 3 and 4 in the same period. Applications are due by April 25, 2025, at 5 p.m.
An informational webinar on the application process will be held on March 21 from 2-3:30 p.m., with registration details provided by DCM.
Eligible applicants include county and municipal governments within the state's 20 CAMA counties, as well as qualified contractors such as private planning and engineering firms, Councils of Government, NGOs, and academic institutions. These phases aim to guide communities in assessing risks, engaging stakeholders, and prioritizing projects to enhance resilience.
DCM also seeks applications from coastal communities to update local CAMA Land Use Plans incorporating RCCP's Resilience Strategies. This can occur alongside or independent of Phases 1 and 2 for communities already engaged in these phases.
Phase-specific objectives include:
- Phase 1 & Phase 2 focus on community engagement and risk assessment.
- Phase 3 aims to fund engineering design projects identified earlier.
- Phase 4 provides funding for project implementation based on completed designs.
Potential projects range from wetland restoration to stormwater management infrastructure improvements.
"The primary objective of Phase 3...is to provide funding to assist coastal communities in the engineering and design," notes DCM about advancing projects towards "shovel-ready" status. Meanwhile, Phase 4 targets implementation using constructed site plans or equivalent efforts.
The RCCP addresses barriers like limited capacity and economic constraints while linking communities to funding sources for implementing planned projects.
Questions regarding the program can be directed to RCCP@deq.nc.gov. The program's logo is available for download online.
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