CRMC Develops Draft Strategy for Program Enhancement—Public Comments Welcome

Program Assessment and Strategy for Enhancement – Performed Pursuant to Section 309 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 as Amended (PDF)

May 28, 2015 – The Coastal Zone Enhancement Program encourages state and territorial coastal management programs to strengthen and improve their federally approved coastal management programs in one or more of nine areas. These “enhancement areas” include wetlands, coastal hazards, public access, marine debris, cumulative and secondary impacts, special area management plans, ocean and Great Lakes resources, energy and government facility siting, and aquaculture. The enhancement program was established under Section 309 of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), as amended.

Every five years, states and territories are encouraged to conduct self-assessments of their coastal management programs to determine problems and enhancement opportunities within each of the nine enhancement areas—and to assess the effectiveness of existing management efforts to address identified problems. Each coastal management program identifies high priority management issues as well as important needs and information gaps the program must fill to address these issues.

This is the sixth Assessment and Strategy that the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) has submitted under §309 of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act. Five previous assessments were prepared. As in previous assessments, this one is directed at the nine §309 enhancement areas delineated by the Congress. Each is discussed in a separate chapter using a template provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The CRMC welcomes your feedback on this document. Please direct any comments or questions regarding this document to: Caitlin Chaffee, RICRMC cchaffee@crmc.ri.gov 401-783-3370.