Senator Tom Carper awarded highest civilian honor by USACE for work on beach restoration

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. -Senator Tom Carper received the highest civilian honor possible by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Gold de Fleury Medal,  for his work in paving the way for a national model- of how to protect the coast from climate change during a ceremony Friday at the Rehoboth Beach bandstand.

“It’s an honor to present our most prestigious award to Senator Carper today, not only for the work that he’s done here in the great state of Delaware but really for his advocacy for projects like Rehoboth Beach across the country where we’re battling, you know, sea level rise in many communities across America. And it’s these projects that help protect communities and help protect homes and our way of life,” said US Army Corps of Engineers Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon.

LT General Scott Spellmon of the US Army Corps of Engineers says Senator Carper helped create the most efficient system for federal funds to make its way to communities- and help get projects underway- before life and property were harmed.

“This is the way we want to do beach renourishment across the country. So here we were able to take really five beach projects, combine them into three contracts and get them all done simultaneously working from south to north, from Fenwick and certainly from Rehoboth down to the south and meet there in Bethany, but we don’t get to do this everywhere,” Spellmon said.

Senator Carper tells us he is humbled by the honor, and to have played a part in keeping Delaware’s coastlines beautiful for generations to come.

“I like helping people. And one of the best ways you can help people make sure they have a job, is the Army Corps of Engineers plays a big role there, I want people to be happy, and when they come to Delaware and have beaches that are as great as the beaches we have here, that’s a source of joy for me as well, including my own family,” Senator Carper said.