Posted on November 20, 2025
Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert L. “Bob” Woodard, Sr., has issued an urgent call for statewide support to address rapidly worsening coastal erosion and infrastructure vulnerabilities along portions of Hatteras Island. In a letter mailed last week to every member of the North Carolina General Assembly, Chairman Woodard highlighted the unprecedented challenges now facing the villages of Buxton and Rodanthe, where severe erosion has caused repeated structural failures and growing threats to public safety, the environment, and the region’s economic stability.
“For generations, Dare County has been defined by its pristine beaches and breathtaking coastal landscapes—natural treasures that draw millions of visitors each year and serve as the foundation of our economy and way of life,” Woodard said. “Today, small areas of our oceanfront have deteriorated to the point where we can no longer shoulder these challenges alone. We need help—your help.”
Key Concerns Highlighted
Chairman Woodard’s letter outlines several urgent issues:
- Severe coastal erosion in Buxton and Rodanthe that has led to repeated home collapses and unsafe conditions.
- Increasing vulnerability of N.C. Highway 12, the sole transportation lifeline for Hatteras Island, which often closes during even minor coastal storms—impacting residents, visitors, businesses, and emergency services.
- The strain placed on local resources, despite Dare County and its oceanfront towns having invested more than $275 million in beach nourishment and millions more in maintaining open inlets with little state or federal assistance.
Each year, more than 3 million people visit Dare County’s beaches and national parks, generating significant state tax revenue. Dare County remains one of the few “donor counties” in North Carolina—contributing more to the state than it receives in return.
Requests to the General Assembly
Chairman Woodard urged state lawmakers to take several proactive steps that would make an immediate and long-term difference:
- Fund the State Beach Nourishment Fund: Although created by the General Assembly, the fund has never been capitalized. Woodard requested recurring appropriations to support coastal counties in sustaining critical shoreline protection efforts.
- Advance proactive solutions for N.C. Highway 12: Woodard encouraged legislators to support long-term strategies developed by the multi-agency N.C. 12 Task Force, which includes representatives from Dare County, Hyde County, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern Environmental Law Center, and NCDOT. The full report is available at DareNC.gov/NC12.
- Reconsider the ban on hardened structures: With beach nourishment alone no longer sufficient in certain areas, Woodard asked the legislature to lift prohibitions on tools such as groins to help stabilize vulnerable segments of the coastline.
A Call to Protect an Economic Engine
In the letter, Woodard emphasized the statewide impact of Dare County’s coastal challenges. “With your support, we can preserve our coastline, protect public infrastructure, and sustain the economic engine that benefits all of North Carolina,” he wrote.
Woodard also offered to meet with legislators to discuss the matter further and emphasized the county’s commitment to collaborating on solutions that protect both communities and the state’s coastal heritage.
