Pilot for Shoreline Stabilization Projects.

This bill creates a pilot program allowing the construction of permanent shoreline stabilization structures, such as sheet pile walls, at specific locations across North Carolina where oceanfront homes face immediate danger from erosion. Under the program, local governments or homeowners associations must fully fund these projects, obtain all necessary permits, and post a financial bond to cover future removal costs, while being temporarily exempt from certain state restrictions that usually prohibit such structures. A state research Collaboratory will evaluate potential sites based on erosion severity, scientific value, and economic impact, and will monitor the projects to assess their effectiveness before submitting results to state officials. Additionally, the bill appropriates $850,000 to update the state's Beach and Inlet Management Plan, which will catalog erosion concerns and recommend a schedule for maintaining navigation channels and beaches.