Kiggans advocates for coastal resilience and Eastern Shore infrastructure in appropriations hearing

Congresswoman Jen Kiggans called for federal action to address ongoing erosion issues at the Chincoteague Inlet before a House Appropriations subcommittee Wednesday.

Speaking during Member Day before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, Kiggans urged lawmakers to fund a long-delayed feasibility study focused on stabilizing the inlet, which she described as critical to both local communities and federal infrastructure.

The Chincoteague Inlet, located near the Town of Chincoteague, serves as a key navigation channel and natural barrier for the Eastern Shore. However, shifting sands and ongoing erosion have increasingly threatened the area’s working waterfront, homes, businesses, and surrounding barrier islands.

Kiggans noted that the feasibility study was authorized nearly a decade ago under the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, but has yet to receive funding or begin.

Local and state leaders have already secured the required non-federal cost share and expressed strong support for the project, according to Kiggans, who said she has pushed for funding through both the federal budget process and Army Corps of Engineers planning efforts.

“This is not just a local issue, it is a federal responsibility,” Kiggans said, pointing to the inlet’s importance in protecting nearby federal assets, including NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.

Kiggans warned that continued delays in studying and addressing erosion could have broader implications for coastal resilience, navigation safety, and national security operations tied to the region.

In addition to the inlet study, Kiggans emphasized the importance of continued federal investment in beach nourishment and coastal protection efforts, which she said are essential for communities along Virginia’s Eastern Shore and wider coastal areas.

She also called for stronger coordination between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that federal facilities are fully considered in coastal storm risk planning.

Kiggans has made multiple recent efforts to advance the Chincoteague Inlet study, including sending letters in March alongside U.S. Senator Mark Warner requesting its inclusion in upcoming federal budgets.

Local officials and residents on the Eastern Shore have long advocated for action, citing growing concerns about erosion, storm vulnerability, and the long-term stability of Chincoteague’s shoreline.

Kiggans said she will continue working with federal agencies and Congress to move the project forward, calling it a necessary step to protect both coastal communities and critical infrastructure on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.