Originally published by Island Free Press: Hatteras and Ocracoke advocates take the islands’ issues to Washington, D.C.
Representatives from Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands joined coastal leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C., this week for the 2026 Coastal Summit, a three-day national policy forum hosted by the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) that is designed to connect local concerns directly with federal lawmakers.
Held March 24–26, the milestone event marked the ASBPA’s 100th anniversary and brought together coastal stakeholders from across the country. Officials from federal agencies representing a parade of acronyms—including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and Department of Defense (DOD)—also participated in the event, rotating through presentations, panel discussions, and networking sessions.
However, the core of the summit centered on direct, in-person meetings with congressional offices in a standout event known as “Advocacy Day,” where coastal representatives worked to ensure that local challenges are front and center in federal funding priorities and legislation.
For the Outer Banks delegation, the primary focus was maintaining access to Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island—an issue that continues to gain urgency as erosion, storm impacts, and infrastructure vulnerabilities intensify along the barrier islands.
The North Carolina delegation included Brian Harris (co-vice president) and Heather Jennette (president) of the Buxton Civic Association (BCA); Justin LeBlanc of the Ocracoke Access Alliance; Dare County Manager and Attorney Bobby Outten; Julie Youngman, senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center; Kathleen Riely, executive director of the North Carolina Beach, Inlet, and Waterway Association; and Bill King, president of the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association.
King, who helped introduce Buxton representatives to the national organization last year, was credited by the BCA members with helping build momentum for stronger Hatteras and Ocracoke participation at the federal level.
“This all happened because Bill King and I put ourselves in the right room a year ago,” said Harris.
During the summit’s Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, Harris, Jennette, and Riely met with staff from the offices of U.S. Rep. David Rouzer, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, and U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy to discuss coastal funding, infrastructure needs, and legislative priorities.
Another key component of the summit with local implications was a March 26 panel titled “Preserving Access to N.C. Coastal Villages and America’s First National Seashore,” which focused specifically on Hatteras and Ocracoke.
For many of the cross-country advocates in the room, it was the first time that they had heard about the small North Carolina islands with big problems, outside of viral and dramatic home collapse videos that temporarily dominated national headlines.
The session was moderated by Patrick Barrineau of Coastal Science & Engineering and included panelists David Hallac, superintendent of the National Park Service’s Outer Banks Group (participating virtually), Katherine Anarde of North Carolina State University, Harris, Jennette, LeBlanc, Outten, and Youngman.
While panelists offered varying backgrounds on how the current issues arose, coupled with varying solutions, all agreed that maintaining access to N.C. Highway 12 and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore is the core goal, and requires coordination across multiple agencies and disciplines.
Jennette said after the event that the opportunity to present these challenges on a national stage was an important step for local advocacy efforts.
“We were honored to be panelists at the ASBPA’s coastal summit, and proud to represent Buxton as community stakeholders,” she said. “The complex issues surrounding access to Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands require thoughtful action, transparency, and cooperation between local, state, and federal leaders.”
She added, “Taking these challenges—alongside Dare County, the National Park Service, scientists, and other experts—and sharing them with federal lawmakers and coastal leaders is one more way we can try to bring about meaningful, sustainable solutions.”
Jennette also reflected on the group’s relatively recent formation, noting that progress has come quickly despite challenges.
“It’s been almost exactly two years since we formed to seek help for the issues at the FUDS site—we really are still so fresh and learning as we go,” she said. “It hasn’t been perfect, and not everyone will always be on the same page, but we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to the future.”
Harris said the summit helped elevate the Outer Banks’ concerns by building a broader coalition of support.
“Just like the North Carolina Beach, Inlet, and Waterway Association gave us allies and advocates across coastal North Carolina, this conference has given us friends and advocates across the nation,” he said.
“We now have large-scale beach communities like Los Angeles, Miami, and New Orleans aware of our issues and helping to push our concerns. These new allies greatly elevate our voice within Congress by giving us bipartisan support in both federal chambers.”
Harris also credited local and regional partners for helping lay the groundwork for these discussions.
“I can’t thank Dare County officials enough for their continued support and entrusting us to continue blazing our own trail,” he said. “All the studies and groundwork they’ve done are about to be put to use.”
He added that collaboration with the Ocracoke Access Alliance is helping shape both short-term and long-term solutions for access along the Outer Banks.
“With guidance from Justin LeBlanc and the Ocracoke Access Alliance, we are working toward solutions for N.C. 12 from Oregon Inlet to Ocracoke,” Harris said.
Discussions throughout the summit also highlighted the broader challenge of gaining support from lawmakers in non-coastal states, where coastal issues may not be immediately visible but still carry national financial implications.
According to remarks shared during the conference, advocates often frame coastal funding as a form of proactive infrastructure investment that saves money for all states, even the ones that don’t touch an ocean.
“Would they rather have these huge FEMA expenditures, or would they rather mitigate storm damage in advance?” said Kathleen Riely, executive director of the North Carolina Beach, Inlet, and Waterway Association, in a summary of her visit with legislators. “Even inland parts of America have serious erosion problems on their rivers. It’s up to coastal representatives to make that connection.”
Summit participants acknowledged that building bipartisan support has become more challenging in an increasingly polarized political environment, but emphasized that direct engagement remains essential.
“Let your members [of Congress] be your sales force,” said Geoff Bowman of Van Scoyoc Associates, who spent his formative years on Capitol Hill working for Congressman Walter Jones of eastern North Carolina. “Ultimately, they work for you.”
Beyond advocacy meetings, the summit included policy discussions on federal coastal programs, proposed changes to FEMA, and the role of agencies such as NOAA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in managing shoreline resources. These topics will be explored in-depth in future Island Free Press articles.
Overall, participants said the summit reinforced the importance of ensuring that small, vulnerable coastal communities remain part of the national conversation as federal policies and funding priorities continue to evolve.