North Topsail is getting millions for beach nourishment. How long will the sand last? – Star News Online
![Unspoiled Beach of North Topsail Island, 2018 (by Michael Au CC BY 2.0 via Flickr).](https://coastalcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/40769491415_586f8b1e14_c-798x499.jpg)
Last month North Carolina doled out nearly $20 million in grants to help coastal communities better fortify and rebuild beach infrastructure battered by recent hurricanes, tropical storms, and nor’easters.
But in a world where climate change is bringing higher seas and more frequent and ferocious storms to our shores, is investing taxpayer dollars in the sand that’s all but guaranteed to have a limited lifespan on the beach a smart investment?
Documenting The Global Impacts Of Beach Sand Mining
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For centuries, beach sand has been mined for use as aggregate in concrete, for heavy minerals, and for construction fill.