At a Glance

Beaches in Florida lost hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of sand from Hurricane Irma.Beaches are 'critically' eroded and local officials are looking for cost-effective ways to replenish the sand.

Beaches in Florida lost hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of sand from Hurricane Irma in September, andofficials in thestateare hoping topurchasesand from the Bahamas to help replenish them.

There's a problem, however: it's illegal to purchase sand from foreign countries, thanks to a 1986environmental law that says the Army Corps must provedomestic sand is unavailable for economic or environmental reasons ,according to the New York Times.

According toSlate, approximately are considered "critically eroded."

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Storms and powerful tides are blamed in part for the diminishing beaches, but they're not the only cause of the erosion.Inadequate beach maintenance andunchecked coastal development are also powerful contributors to the growing problem.

Sand is running out onbeaches in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Dredging there is no longer possible because of a narrow continental shelf. The sand has become too deep for dredgers to reach, and the coral reefs on the shelf are environmentallyprotected.

Cones mark off the damage caused by beach erosion along route A-1-A, making parts of it impassable to vehicles on Nov. 27, 2012 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

(Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

With fewer and fewer places to dredge offshore, South Florida officialsbegan targeting sand off the state's Treasure Coast. But local authorities in St. Lucie and Martin countiesaren't keen on giving up their offshore sand because erosion is as much a problem there asin Miami.

Another option is trucking in sand from inland mines, but that is a costlyproposition.

A better solution, both economically and environmentally, would be , according to a Sun-Sentinel editorial.

In February, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R)introduced a bill, (SandAcquisition, Nourishmentand Development),that would , TCPalm.com reported. At the time, Rubio saidthe ability to purchasesand from other countriesis "desperately" needed.

"This bipartisan bill will modernize an outdated law to give the Army Corps of Engineers greater flexibility in acquiring the sand Florida beaches so desperately need," he told TCPalm.com. "Beach renourishment protects our infrastructure and environment and provides a vital buffer against hurricanes and storms. Our beautiful shores also bring visitors from across the world, and these coastlines are economic drivers for the surrounding communities."