DOVER, Del. - Delaware Governor Matt Meyer has sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to authorize emergency funding to help restore Delaware’s beaches following the recent nor’easters that brought significant damage to the coastline.
The letter to the president, dated today, Oct. 21, requests federal funding and the activation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to immediately begin emergency restoration efforts on the First State’s beaches under Section 8327 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022.
Meyer says the section allows the Secretary of the Army to restore public beaches damaged by wind, wave, or water from a storm when the damage prevents adequate protection from inundation, erosion, or more coastal storms. That condition, Meyer argues, has been met.
“Our beaches are part of Delaware’s critical infrastructure that protects homes, roads, and jobs,” Governor Meyer said. “On top of revenue losses and increased costs to the state due to federal legislation, Delaware has been hit hard by recent nor’easter weather. We cannot wait for another storm to hit or for our bridges and highways to collapse to make improvements that will keep our communities safe. We need swift federal action to repair the damage, strengthen our shoreline, and ensure that our coastline is safe and resilient whenever the next storm hits.”
Meyer’s office says a resolution passed by Republicans in Congress and signed by Trump earlier this year cut significant funding for beach replenishment in coastal states. The cuts follow a pattern of federal funding changes that include withholding hundreds of millions in emergency preparedness grants to states opposing the president’s immigration and deportation policies, according to Meyer.
“Delaware’s coastal communities, economy, and infrastructure rely on USACE-maintained beaches to provide storm surge and flood protection,” Meyer’s letter reads. “Immediate restoration will prevent further loss and protect people, homes, and small businesses. When natural protective barriers fail, emergency routes become impassable, evacuation corridors are threatened, and stormwater systems are overwhelmed—placing residents and first responders in danger. More delays will only increase risks to life and property and drive-up long-term disaster recovery costs.”