Envisioning the Future of Coastal Management

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Envisioning the Futureof Coastal Management

• A Framework for the Future
• Local Government Involvement

Ralph Cantral, Senior Advisor NOAA Office of
Ocean and Coastal Resource Management
April 8, 2008
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Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA)

• The primary tool for comprehensive management of
  coastal resources in the USA.
• The CZMA creates a partnership between federal
  and state governments, yet most land use
  decisions are made at the local level.
• Originally enacted in 1972, the CZMA needs to be
  re-examined for applicability to todays
  challenges.

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The Visioning Process

Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource
Management, NOAA
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Envisioning the Future of Coastal Management

• Project Purpose
• To engage stakeholders in developing a vision
  for an improved Coastal Zone Management Act
  (CZMA) and to identify methods for improving
  program implementation at the state and national
  levels.
• Partners NOAA/ Coastal States Organization
  (CSO)
• Outcome
• A set of core principles and specific ideas for
  CZMA reauthorization and suggestions for improved
  policy implementation at the federal, state, and
  local levels.

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Three Project Phases

• Phase I Discussion Paper on Challenges and Key
  Questions
• Phase 2 Interviews with State-Level Managers
• Phase 3 Stakeholder and Expert Meetings
• 5 national stakeholder meetings (and 6-state
  hosted meetings) and discussions with key federal
  agencies, private and nonprofit organizations,
  and experts representing a broad range of
  interests.

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Manager and Stakeholder Feedback

• Top identified challenges
• Growth and land use, coastal habitat,
• and water quality
• Other important issues
• Coastal hazards, public access and waterfronts,
  and ocean uses
• Top emerging issue Climate change
• Keys to better management
• Engage local governments and improve federal and
  state agency coordination.

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CZMA Priorities and Objectives

• NOW
• The CZMA sets a policy to preserve, protect,
  develop, and where possible restore and enhance
  resources of the coastal zone.
• FUTURE
• Focus on three broad goals
• Sustain healthy and productive coastal ecosystems
• Increase coastal community resilience
• Integrate and target science and capacity building

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Sustaining Healthy Ecosystems

• Maintaining, restoring, and enhancing habitats
  and biodiversity
• Conserving critical areas through land
  acquisition and
• Avoiding, minimizing or mitigating impacts on
  coastal resources and water quality from
  development, pollution, nutrient loading, and
  climate change.

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Increasing Community Resilience

• Minimize impacts from coastal hazards and foster
  adaptation to climate change
• Direct development to suitable lands
• Reduce conflicts among coastal and ocean uses
• Protect water dependent uses
• Improve siting of energy and aquaculture
• Protect and enhance public access

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Science and Capacity Building

• National goal Integrate capabilities of NOAA
  and coordinate with other federal agencies to
  provide the best possible natural and social
  science.
• Priorities
• Support management driven research, synthesis,
  and translation for decision makers.
• Build capacity of resources managers through the
  development of tools and technologies.
• Educate and develop awareness of coastal and
  marine resource managers and the public.

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Local Governments

• NOW
• The CZMA does not provide for federal-local
  collaboration, nor does it direct state programs
  to develop state-local partnerships.
• FUTURE
• Require local government input in state plan
  development.
• Provide dedicated, competitively allocated
  funding for local programs and demonstration
  projects.
• Provide better and more integrated technical
  assistance.

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For more information contact

Ralph Cantral Ralph.Cantral_at_noaa.gov
www.coastalmanagement.noaa.gov