For a second year in a row, Presque Isle State Park will not receive any federal funding for sand replenishment.
On Thursday, the Presque Isle State Park Advisory Committee met with members of the community, to address concerns over lack of funding for sand nourishment.
Presque Isle typically receives $3 million a year, for sand replenishment.
The state covers $1.5 million of that funding, while the federal government covers the other $1.5 million.
Each year, the park tries to spread 40,000 cubic yards of sand to minimize erosion.
According to Presque Isle State Park Operations Manager Matt Greene, for a second year in a row, the park will have to do more with less.
“Long term, we didn’t get a full nourishment last year, and we are not going to get a full nourishment again,” said Greene. “Over time, that’s going to slowly diminish the amount of sand on Presque Isle.”
Greene says that the park will have to do a partial replenishment, with some beaches receiving more sand than others.
“If we don’t make up the difference every year, that 40,000 cubic yards every year, slowly the Peninsula is getting smaller over time,” said Greene. “If it doesn’t get that actual nourishment that it needs, the beaches are going to start shrinking over time.”
According to Greene, the park will be able to determine which areas need the most sand, once they conduct their annual beach walk assessment in April.