PALM BEACH, MARTIN COUNTY — Multiple beach renourishment projects are underway across Florida, as communities fight a growing erosion crisis, raising questions about where tax dollars are going and whether temporary sand dumps are worth the cost.
WATCH BELOW: 'The ocean is going to do what the ocean does, we kind of have to hold the line,' John Maehl tells WPTV's Kate Hussey
In Palm Beach, one of two beach access points recently reopened after weeks of closure caused by severe erosion. The Chilean Avenue access remains closed and is not expected to reopen for weeks. The Brazilian Avenue access has since reopened.
Erileigh O'Donnell, a beachgoer in Palm Beach, described the impact firsthand.
"We really had no beach at all," O'Donnell said. "This is the worst it's been."
The closures come as Palm Beach is in the middle of a multi-million dollar sand renourishment project.
Sara Westphal, coastal coordinator for the town, said the erosion is unusual for this time of year, and added progress has been difficult to sustain.
"We've been having a lot of weather events, and it's kind of unusual that we've been seeing this island wide," Westphal said.
The problem extends far beyond Palm Beach. In February, St. Lucie County received half a million dollars in emergency sand at Fort Pierce Jetty Park, on top of an existing $15 million restoration project.
"The erosion is so significant, safety and property are at risk," said Commissioner Michael Broderick.
In Martin County, another $15 million project is rebuilding 4 miles of shoreline.
"We have lost a lot of sand," said Jessica Garland, the coastal program manager for Martin County.
Dan Ginolfi, managing partner of Warwick Consultants, said the financial scale of Florida's erosion problem is staggering.
"Florida currently is the number one state, the number one recipient of beach nourishment funds," Ginolfi said.
Ginolfi said nearly $800 million in federal dollars is spent on erosion control in Florida since 2000.
"Wow, that's kind of crazy, that's kind of scary to be honest," O'Donnell said.
In a previous interview with WPTV, U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., called for more permanent solutions, including adding rock groins, which are rigid, perpendicular coastal structure built from boulders or concrete to trap sand and reduce erosion, to Fort Pierce Jetty Park.
"[The Army Corps] doesn't want to come out and put dirt, because something washed away, put sand, because something washed away. They want it to stay there," Mast said.
In March, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed new legislation aimed at moving beyond temporary fixes, focusing on dunes, mangroves and vegetation to help stabilize Florida's coastline.
John Maehl, Martin County's environmental resource administrator, said the legislation could fast-track "living shorelines," projects that use boulders and native plants to hold the coast in place. He said similar projects are already taking shape in Martin County.
"It'll help to attenuate sand behind it, which makes for great sea grass habitat and oyster habitat also protects a critical shoreline," Maehl said.
Maehl said the new approach could help speed up the lengthy permitting process for getting living shoreline projects through to the finish line.
"We think it's a great bill for Martin County," Maehl said.
Still, Maehl acknowledged the challenge ahead.
"The ocean is going to do what the ocean does," Maehl said. "We kind of have to hold the line."
Ginolfi also noted that while erosion-fighting projects are costly, the benefit to Florida's economy far outweighs the cost. Warwick Consulting's study also found the U.S. spends about $200 million on beaches nationwide, which returns to about $36 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue.
In Florida alone, Ginolfi said the tax revenue is about $23 billion.
"So, Florida is really important to the national economy, and their beaches really drive that home," said Ginolfi.
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