A hopper dredging boat hooks up to the discharge pipe to carry dredged sand into place during a federally funded shore shore protection project by Great Lakes Dredge and Dock on May 17, 2013 in Fort Pierce, Florida. As cities along the East Coast prepare for the start of the hurricane season, officials say the area encompasing Fort Pierce beach has been in dire need of repair since Hurricane Sandy last year made worse an area already suffering significantly from erosion. Some experts say shore restoration projects can help reduce the physical and economic damage from waves, storm surge, and the resulting coastal flooding in a hurricane.