Barrier Island Issues

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The National Oceanic atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that “almost half of the people living in the United States live near the coast”. One of the primary trials that theses inhabitants face is the reduction of the barrier island sand dunes that protect their homes and livelihoods. The quest to maintain and protect these dunes is not only a necessity but embroiled in controversy as to who is responsible for the upkeep monetarily. A Barrier Island is a long relatively narrow island running parallel to the mainland, built up by the action of waves and currents and serving to protect the coast from erosion by surf and tidal surges (wordnik). However, these barrier islands are compromised by natural disasters, poorly thought out man made…show more content…
Hilton Head Island, the largest barrier island of the southern states imposes a three percent tax for individuals vacationing on Hilton Head for less than ninety days, two percent of the tax is a beach preservation fee and the other one percent is an accommodations tax. The town of Hilton Head collected over fifteen million in the last three years which almost entirely pays for its next sand nourishment project for 2015/2016. The town began collecting the fee in 1993 after the 1990 beach nourishment project was tied to $2.5 million in state funding for the $9 million project was the stipulation that the town provide more than 2,000 parking spaces for beachgoers by 1996 (Island). Senator Tom Davis stated another problem with relying on the state for re-nourishment money is that it is an unreliable source; some years the money is available but other years it might not be. Hilton Head Island’s forward thinking decision to take on the responsibility of their own erosion worries is a model that should be followed by other heavily attracted tourist

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