Whittaker Pointe is a peninsula of land along the Neuse River that serves as a barrier protecting natural, recreational, commercial and cultural resources of the Town of Oriental. Hurricane Matthew caused a permanent breach and accelerated erosion around Whittaker Pointe. The Town, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and the N.C. Coastal Federation have developed a phased plan to create a living shoreline to help maintain the Town’s natural buffer. This buffer is critical to absorbing storm-generated wind and water energy that flows unimpeded across the sound from as far away as Ocracoke. Golden LEAF Disaster Recovery Grant Program funding will be used to support engineering/design, construction, and the planting of marsh grass and completion of the sill/revetment. The Town will also use funds to repair the damaged access road. The Town has applied for a grant from DEQ to use towards engineering/design and construction. The Town intends also to use volunteer and donated materials to complete the project.
