DCM has not yet received any applications for permits related to terminal groin construction.
A terminal groin is a long, low structure, typically made of rock or concrete, which extends out into the ocean at the end of an island, and is intended to trap sand and prevent beach erosion. Terminal groins, along with other permanent erosion control structures such as seawalls and jetties, have been prohibited on the N.C. oceanfront by CRC rule since 1985. The ban was codified into state law and added to the Coastal Area Management Act in 2003, which meant legislation was required to amend the law to allow any type of hardened structure.
In addition to the CRC’s requirements for all major CAMA permits, applications to construct a terminal groin must also include the following:
1. Information to demonstrate that structures or infrastructure are imminently threatened by erosion, and nonstructural approaches to erosion control, including relocation of threatened structures, are impractical.
2. An environmental impact statement that satisfies the requirements of G.S. 113A-4.
3. A list of property owners and local governments that may be affected by the construction of the proposed terminal groin and its accompanying beach fill project and proof that the property owners and local governments have been notified of the application for construction of the terminal groin and its accompanying beach fill project.
4. A plan for the construction and maintenance of the terminal groin and its accompanying beach fill project prepared by a professional engineer licensed to practice pursuant to Chapter 89C of the General Statutes.
5. A plan for the management of the inlet and the estuarine and ocean shorelines immediately adjacent to and under the influence of the inlet. The inlet management plan shall do all of the following relative to the terminal groin and its accompanying beach fill project:
a. Describe the post-construction activities that the applicant will undertake to monitor the impacts on coastal resources.
b. Define the baseline for assessing any adverse impacts and the thresholds for when the adverse impacts must be mitigated.
c. Provide for mitigation measures to be implemented if adverse impacts reach the thresholds defined in the plan.
d. Provide for modification or removal of the terminal groin if the adverse impacts cannot be mitigated.
6. Proof of financial assurance in the form of a bond, insurance policy, escrow account or other financial instrument that is adequate to cover the cost of:
a. Long-term maintenance and monitoring of the terminal groin.
b. Implementation of mitigation measures as provided in the inlet management plan.
c. Modification or removal of the terminal groin as provided in the inlet management plan.
d. Restoration of public, private or public trust property if the groin has an adverse impact on the environment or property.
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