Marc J. Hershman

The Effectiveness of Coastal Zone Management in the United States

The Coastal Zone Management Effectiveness Study was undertaken between 1995 and 1997 to determine how well state coastal management programs in the United States were implementing five of the core objectives of the U.S. Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). The five core objectives studied were: (1) protection of estuaries and coastal wetlands; (2) protection of beaches, dunes, bluffs and rocky shores; (3) provision of public access to the shore; (4) revitalization of urban waterfronts; and (5) accommodation of seaport development (as an illustration of the policy to give priority to coastal-dependent uses). Separate articles in this issue of Coastal Management report the findings of the five studies, each dealing with one of the core objectives. Each of the articles assesses issue importance, processes and tools used, and the limited outcome data available for that objective. This article provides an overview of the purposes of the study, the methodology used, the summary findings of each study, and overal...

Coastal zone problems: A basis for evaluation

Abstract An important but difficult step in evaluating coastal programs is the formulation of meaningful and measurable criteria for purposes of evaluation. One useful source for deriving evaluation criteria consists of coastal problem statements. This article summarizes perceived coastal zone problems identified prior to the passage of the 1972 Coastal Zone Management Act and discusses how this information could be used in formulating criteria for evaluating coastal programs.

Boundaries of the coastal zone: A survey of state laws

Abstract A survey of coastal state legislation reveals several types of statutes affecting activities occurring in coastal regions: Coastal management statutes, wetland statutes, and shoreline statutes. Each coastal state has adopted methods to delineate coastal areas or features, whether an entire coastal zone, a limited feature such as wetlands, or shorelands. Boundary delineation is done according to linear measurements, political boundaries, roads and highways, vegetation, elevation, tidal flow, and other factors. An appendix is provided containing state statutory provisions relating to boundary‐delineation techniques.

Response of coastal zone management programs to sea level rise in the United States

Abstract State coastal zone management programs are responding to the potential impacts of accelerated sea level rise through a wide range of activities and policies. This article provides a brief overview of the Coastal Zone Management Act and other federal laws that provide the basis for coastal state regulatory activities. It surveys the level of response to sea level rise by state coastal management programs in 24 marines coastal states, from formal recognition to implementation of policies addressing the issue. Individual state CZMP responses and policies that have been implemented or proposed are categorized. The adaptation of sea level rise to ongoing institutional objectives is discussed and policy constraints and trends are summarized.

Ocean management policy development in subnational units of government: examples from the United States☆

Changes in law and policy over the last decade within the US have resulted in greater state-level influence over ocean use policy. At the same time there has been initiative at the state level of government to increase capacity for ocean management through policy development, and in a few cases, policy implementation. It is suggested that this trend of state involvement will continue because the vehicles for state participation in ocean affairs are institutionalized.

Ocean policy development in the state of Washington

Abstract Washingtons recent history in ocean policy development started in 1967 when the states Oceanographic Commission was established. The commission was disbanded in 1982 when the states interests in ocean policy were at a low point. This lack of interest changed rapidly after 1986 when a federal OCS lease sale was announced. Since then several new organizations have been created and a 1989 law established preliminary ocean policies for the state. The state needs a broad‐based task force to establish better linkages among a variety of ocean policy players. Also, the 1989 statute should be revisited and made more specific.