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).

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?