WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. - NASA is seeking federal approval for a major shoreline restoration project aimed at protecting critical facilities on Wallops Island from storms and rising sea levels.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District says NASA's Wallops Flight Facility has applied for a Department of the Army permit for the project, which would restore approximately 15,000 feet of shoreline in Accomack County.
According to the Army Corps, the project is intended to reduce the risk of damage or loss to facilities belonging to NASA, the U.S. Navy, and the Virginia Spaceport Authority's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.
Plans call for dredging up to 2.5 million cubic yards of sand from an offshore shoal and using it to replenish the beach. The project would also involve a temporary hydraulic pipeline and construction of up to four breakwaters in the nearshore area between existing breakwaters.
According to a public notice published on Monday, NASA has initiated or completed consultations with state and federal agencies regarding the project's potential impacts on historic resources, endangered species, and essential fish habitat. NASA would implement any mitigation measures identified through consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to minimize impacts to protected species.
The Army Corps says the project may also require water quality certification from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The proposed activity is not located near a federal navigation channel, according to the notice.
The permit application remains under review. The Army Corps says it will consider the project's potential benefits and impacts, including effects on conservation, wildlife, water quality, shoreline erosion, recreation, navigation, and other public-interest factors before deciding whether to approve the permit.
The public can submit written comments on the proposal through Sept. 2, 2026. Comments will be considered as the Army Corps determines whether to issue, modify, condition or deny the permit. Members of the public may also request a public hearing in writing during the comment period.
