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Gov. DeSantis awards Volusia County with $37.6M to restore beaches

Posted on January 23, 2023

Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Daytona Beach Shores on Wednesday to speak about continuing hurricane recovery efforts in Florida.

He announced more funds would go toward Central Florida counties hit by hurricanes Ian and Nicole, including $37.6 million that will go toward restoring Volusia County beaches. Additionally, $17 million is going to Flagler County and $3.2 million to Brevard County for beach restoration projects.

It appears Volusia County beaches were the hardest hit when first Ian, then Nicole, blew through. The beach lost several feet of elevation. Dunes were blown out. Properties were threatened and lost because of it, so the governor announced the lion’s share of beach renourishment money allocated in December’s special session will go to Volusia County.

In addition, the legislature has set aside $50 million for a hurricane restoration reimbursement grant program, beginning Feb. 1. People can apply for grant money to prevent coastal erosion on private property.

“It’s a good start, but we need more,” storm victim Deborah Taylor said.

Taylor owns a condominium in one of the many buildings where the dune collapses left them literally on edge. They have permission to build a sea wall but don’t have the millions it will take to put it up.

“We’re looking at huge assessments. It’s more than the residents can pay. They can’t afford it,” Taylor said.

Many residents have complained about the permitting process to protect property.

“The bureaucracy is tough. It’s a big, big motion that you have to get going in the right direction,” John Danis, another storm victim, said.

The governor now says it is going in the right direction.

“I always tell him permit. Just do it when you have stuff like this so he knows and he’s been working on it,” Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Shawn Hamilton said.

Hamilton says his teams are on the ground locally and moving quickly.

“To get that necessary information to permit safe, reliable habitat protective structures as quick and as effectively as possible,” Hamilton said.

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