The barrier islands no longer have enough time or sand to rebuild themselves naturally through dune formation and other processes. The combination of accelerating sea level rise and increasing storm impacts has pushed the island past a threshold. The East and Gulf Coasts have hundreds of miles of barrier island shoreline. As sea level rise continues, these islands are facing the same dual threats as the Cape Lookout barriers. We are still not retreating from even the most hazardous locations on our barrier islands.

Source: New York Times October 24, 2019 15:00 UTC