State lawmakers are moving forward with a bill to ease restrictions on coastal seawalls, but state taxpayers won't be footing the bill.
The Senate Finance Committee advanced Senate Bill 1001 on Tuesday but only after removing a controversial provision that would have allowed state funds to pay for terminal groins. The decision protects a decades-old policy keeping state tax dollars out of shoreline hardening projects.
Environmental advocates praised the move, warning that hardened structures destroy public beaches and accelerate erosion on neighboring properties. However, supporters argue these structures are vital to protect multi-million dollar coastal homes and public infrastructure from rising seas.
While local governments can still build terminal groins, they must fund them locally without state help.
