Through federal funding under the Stafford Act, private beachfront property and public infrastructure on the west end of Dauphin Island, Alabama, have repeatedly been restored following tropical storm impacts. The island has two distinct geomorphological portions due to the protection of the offshore ebb-tidal delta. The lower western end has become a prime target for beachfront development and consequently the recipient of the bulk of the federal largesse. It is clear that failed public policy at every level, local, state and federal, has contributed to an irresponsible fiscal commitment to constant redevelopment. Serious review and revision of the Stafford Act is recommended as a consequence of these considerations.