State senators have tentatively agreed to allow building new jetties along the Outer Banks.
There's been a ban on new jetties for 25 years along North Carolina's coast. But lawmakers could change that. Senators voted 35 to 13 yesterday in favor of allowing the structures- also known as terminal groins- in some locations. They help maintain the existing shapes of islands and shorelines by preventing the natural process of erosion from happening. Environmentalists don't like the jetties- they say the structures collect large buildups of sand and consequently cause erosion somewhere else. The bill requires one more vote before it moves to the House. The Senate has passed similar bills before, but this year Republican leaders say they have more support for it in the House.