The North Carolina Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP) provides financial grants and technical assistance to coastal local governments to support coastal resilience planning and project implementation. Kleinfelder was matched with the towns of Burgaw and Holly Ridge in 2023 to provide climate resiliency planning, community engagement, and project prioritization.

Climate Impacts and Increasing Frequency

With impacts from hurricanes, severe storms, extreme heat, sea level rise, and other hazards becoming more frequent, it is particularly important that municipalities evaluate built and natural infrastructure to understand what is at risk. Municipalities have recently adopted a holistic approach, including inventorying infrastructure, connecting with local stakeholders, and understanding the risks that natural hazards pose to the community. RCCP, funded through a combination of state appropriations and federal grant awards through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, provides a keystone connection to technical assistance and grants for these municipalities.

Community Engagement and Resilience Strategies 

Kleinfelder was selected by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management to perform vulnerability assessments, stakeholder/public outreach, and grant/funding assistance to affected communities. Working closely with select community advisory team representatives from Burgaw and Holly Ridge, Kleinfelder conducted vulnerability assessments that analyzed exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity of critical assets and natural infrastructure to coastal hazards.

Community engagement was integral to the success of the project through both helping to gather and disseminate ideas and information, as well as building trust with local stakeholders and community members. Kleinfelder encouraged participation through online surveys, public workshops, and interactive community events.

The final resilience strategies assessment report for Burgaw and Holly Ridge included vulnerability and risk assessments and project portfolios tailored to each town. Kleinfelder supported successful grant applications for Burgaw and Holly Ridge for Phase III engineering/design funding for a priority project from each community’s respective project portfolio.

Project Results

Following the completion of Phases I and II, including the resilience strategies and assessment report, Burgaw was awarded $65,000 for engineering design of a rain garden to reduce flood impacts, and Holly Ridge was awarded $143,000 for engineering design of a multi-use greenway to increase mobility and incorporate nature-based solutions.

Project Details

Location:
Burgaw and Holly Ridge, NC
Owner:
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality