The beach nourishment funding crisis for FY26 is deepening.
While the Senate's recent appropriations bill includes a "best case" figure of $62.2 million (a significant increase over the House's $23 million), this amount is $137.8 million below the American Coastal Coalition’s request for $200 million, which would fully fund the nation's beach nourishment projects in a typical year.
The bottom line: our nation’s beach nourishment projects face a massive shortfall.
The Economic Perspective
The $200M needed for our coasts is a tiny investment. Our nation’s beaches are an economic engine that generates more than $36 billion annually in tax revenue. The funding we request amounts to 2% or less of the Corps’ total proposed budget.
What This Means for Our Coasts
Even if Congress agrees to the Senate’s $62.2 million, only a handful of the following essential projects scheduled for FY26 will move forward due to limited funding.
The diagram below depicts the urgency of the situation.
Congressional Acknowledgment
Despite the low funding, the Committee report included strong remarks acknowledging the problem:
“The Committee understands coastal flood risk is increasing rapidly... Further, the Committee recognizes that beach renourishment is a critical tool to provide protection to life and property, yet such projects go unfunded in the budget request.”
The senate version directs the Corps to provide a briefing within 90 days after the bills enactment on the unfunded projects in the Corps’ program related to coastal storm risk reduction and beach renourishment, barriers to implementing authorized studies and projects, and high-risk coastal locations in need of such projects.
The Urgent Situation in New Jersey
At least half of New Jersey’s beaches are in an advanced state of erosion following Hurricane Erin and the nor’easter that followed. In correspondence between the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and local communities, the state acknowledges its shore protection program "is heavily reliant upon consistent federal funding and partnership and does not enable DEP to support interim beach renourishment outside the established cost-share paradigm and periodic renourishment schedules."
Following the erosive storm events in the summer, Congressman Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02) requested emergency funding to restore NJ beaches at 100% federal expense under PL 84-99. However, this funding was not provided because the State of New Jersey did not request federal disaster assistance.
NJ Senator Andy Kim held a round table with NJ ACC members to learn about the urgency of the situation on their beaches and has pledged to work with New Jersey ACC communities to help fight for their beach nourishment funding.
Continuing the Fight
After federal funding for beaches was eliminated in 2025, the American Coastal Coalition is fighting 24/7 in Washington, DC to restore this critical funding. Beaches are basic infrastructure. It is essential that the federal government and Congress hold up their end of the 50-year partnership and consistently fund the nation's beach nourishment program.
