Pinellas County Spends $125M to Rebuild Beaches
Pinellas County, Fla., is spending more than $125 million in tourism-tax revenue to renourish and widen roughly 35 miles of Gulf Coast beaches—using about 2.5 million cubic yards of offshore sand—after Hurricanes Helene, Milton and Debby in 2024 severely eroded shorelines and contributed to 12 county deaths. The county moved ahead because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is declining to fund projects that lack permanent public easements, and some private property owners refused easements, forcing the county to place sand on the public (Gulf-side) beach and accept gaps that could concentrate future storm surge.
📌 Key Facts
- Pinellas County is spending more than $125 million of tourism-tax revenue on beach restoration.
- The restoration will use approximately 2.5 million cubic yards of sand to widen beaches by up to 100 feet along a 35-mile stretch.
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will not fund projects with 'gaps' caused by property owners refusing permanent easements, shifting the financial burden to the county.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"A commentary arguing that counties and cities are stepping up to fund urgent housing and rebuilding projects as federal support stalls—praising local initiative but warning that the shift imposes inequitable costs, long‑term risks, and a problematic precedent for national responsibility."