Shoaling is a big problem in Oregon Inlet. So much sand collects in the waterway that boats can't pass.
Dare County leaders and the congressman for the Outer Banks want a permanent fix.
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-Greenville) has filed a bill in Congress to study the feasibility of building a jetty along the inlet.
"You look at commercial fishing, you look at boat building, you look at recreational fishing. And it is such a large economic input that we have a navigable and safe waterway," he said on Friday, surrounded by Dare County commissioners who support the study.
Murphy says the structure would keep sand from building up, especially after hurricanes or severe weather.
Crews from the Army Corps of Engineers dug up sand earlier this summer, creating a safe channel for vessels traveling between Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
Both houses of congress would have to pass Murphy's bill before the study can go forward.
