SC Beach Advocates 2023 Meeting

The in-person 2023 South Carolina Beach Advocates annual meeting is Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, 2023 at the Wild Dunes Resort. The early registration and hotel room reservation deadline is Jan. 9. Don’t delay, register here: scbeaches.org/2023-annual-meeting and Book a room at Wild Dunes Resort. A draft agenda will be released at a later date. 

NFWF Coastal Resilience Grant

South Carolina Office of Resilience received a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Coastal Resilience Fund, on which the South Carolina Beach Advocates are a partner. This will lay the groundwork for an effort to help communities develop resilience and flood risk reduction plans. Read more at: scor.sc.gov/news/2022-12/scor-receives-grant-national-fish-and-wildlife-foundation2023. 

Legislative Session 

Our legislative and advocacy agenda includes supporting S.282, a bill to provide dedicated state revenues to the beach preservation fund, educating about the economic, recreational, and ecosystem benefits of S.C. beaches, advocating for funding to help repair damages to the state’s beaches this past hurricane season, and to encourage a state-wide plan for coastal roadway resilience. 

S.C. Beach Preservation Committee 

The South Carolina Beach Advocates are well represented on the state’s committee to address the topic of the state’s policy of beach preservation. The Beach Preservation Technical Advisory Committee, led by SC DHEC OCRM is working on a final report that will assist OCRM with identifying opportunities for internal process improvement, potential changes in law, and actions where additional partner involvement is necessary to provide more effective beachfront management. 

Dr. Nicole Elko is the executive director of South Carolina Beach Advocates.