ARTICLE: Eroding line in sand divides Outer Banks (The Virginian-Pilot - HamptonRoads.com/PilotOnline.com)

Katherine Kozak and the Va. Pilot's take on the upcoming referendum on the 1% sales tax to pay for beach nourishment. A lot of time spent with Mark Martin, the leader of the group supporting beach nourishment. Nothing from Ray Midgett or the Beachuggers. They may not have been at the meeting. T

The article reports on a speech by Dr. Stan Riggs geologist from ECU. He spoke at Jockeysridge State Park last week. Apparently he did not utter absolutes about the futility of nourishment, which is surprising. Normally he supports the Orin Pilkey view that people shouldn't live here, that we should just abandon the beach. You get some of that from the article but it also reports

Riggs cast a scientific wet blanket on the idea of human control of coastal erosion. Yet he stopped short of condemning beach nourishment, a matter of deep divide for residents of the barrier islands.

Beach nourishment has worked in other places and it can work on the Outer Banks. We just need to realize a couple of things.

• It will be expensive because we ilve in any with a very dynamic beach


• It will have to be mnaintained because the sand is put there to erode. It will not be permanent. It will require maintenance


• If we don't do something we will face enourmous problems in the next 20 years. We will lose most of the ocean front homes, not just in high erosion areas, but everywhere.