Chincoteague gets $500,000 for Inlet feasibility study

Congresswoman Jen Kiggans announced this week that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has included $500,000 for the Chincoteague Inlet feasibility study in its Fiscal Year 2027 Civil Works Budget request, marking a significant step forward for a long-delayed project important to Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

According to Kiggans, the funding request follows the project receiving a critical “New Start” designation earlier this year, helping move the study forward after nearly a decade of delays.

The feasibility study is expected to examine long-term solutions and maintenance strategies for the Chincoteague Inlet, a waterway considered vital to local commercial fishing operations, tourism, navigation, and storm resilience efforts in the area.

In a statement, Kiggans called the development “an important win for local watermen, small businesses, and residents within the Town of Chincoteague.”

The congresswoman also thanked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local partners who have supported the effort.

The Army Corps’ Civil Works Budget request outlines federal priorities for water infrastructure, navigation, flood control, and coastal resilience projects nationwide. Congressional approval would still be required before the funding is formally appropriated.

Local officials and watermen have long advocated for additional federal attention to the inlet, citing concerns over navigation safety, shoaling, and the economic importance of reliable access to coastal waters surrounding Chincoteague.