Alabama Coastal Area
Management Program
The Current State of Coastal
Management
Phillip Hinesley, Alabama Department of Conservation &
Natural Resources, State Lands Division
The Alabama Coastal Area
Management Program
(ACAMP)
The purpose of the ACAMP is to promote,
improve, and safeguard the lands and waters
located in the coastal area through a
comprehensive and cooperative program
Current status of the ACAMP
• Divided between the Alabama Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources
(ADCNR) – Planning and Administration
• and the Alabama Department of
Environmental Management (ADEM) –
Permitting and Federal Consistency
• 34 coastal and Great Lakes states, territories
and commonwealths have approved coastal
management programs.
• Together, these programs protect more than
99 percent of the nation's 95,331 miles of
ocean and Great Lakes coastline.
The federal mandate from Congress is to:
• Preserve, protect, develop,
and, where possible, restore
and enhance the resources
• Encourage and assist the
states to to achieve wise use
of land and water resources
• Encourage the preparation of
special area management
plans
• Encourage the participation
of all parties affecting the
coastal zone
Some key goals of state coastal zone
management programs include:
• Protection of natural resources;
• Management of development in high hazard areas to to
achieve quality coastal waters;
• Locating new commercial and industrial development in, or
adjacent to, existing developed areas;
• Providing public access for recreation;
• Redeveloping urban waterfronts and ports, and preserve and
restore historic, cultural, and aesthetic coastal features; and
• Assuring that the public and local governments have a say in
coastal decision-making.
A unique aspect of coastal zone management is Federal
Consistency which ensures that federal actions that are
reasonably likely to affect any land or water use or natural
resource of the coastal zone will be consistent with the
enforceable policies of a coastal state's or territory's
federally approved Coastal Zone Management Program.
Section 307 of the CZMA (16 USC § 1456), called the
federal consistency provision, is a major incentive for
states to join the national coastal management program
and is a powerful tool that states use to manage coastal
uses and resources and to facilitate cooperation and
coordination with federal agencies.
Federal Consistency for Projects
Strong Tool
• Federal consistency is the CZMA requirement where
federal agency activities that have reasonably foreseeable
effects on any land or water use or natural resource of the
coastal zone (also referred to as coastal uses or resources
and coastal effects) must be consistent to the maximum
extent practicable with the enforceable policies of a coastal
state's federally approved coastal management
program. (Federal agency activities are activities and
development projects performed by a federal agency, or a
contractor for the benefit of a federal agency.)
Activities That Require Federal
Consistency Review
• Federal license or permit activities and federal
financial assistance activities that have reasonably
foreseeable coastal effects must be fully consistent
with the enforceable policies of state coastal
management programs. (Federal license or permit
activities are activities proposed by a non-federal
applicant requiring federal authorization, and
federal financial assistance activities are proposed
by state agencies or local governments applying
for federal funds for activities with coastal
effects.)
Geographic Area of Particular
Concern
• Within coastal Alabama, there are specific
areas which require attention beyond the
general provisions of the ACAMP – special
management areas.
Two Types of Special
Management Areas
• GAPC and areas for preservation and
restoration (APR). GAPCs are areas that
have been determined to be of particular
concern because of their coastal-related
values or characteristics or because they
may face special pressures.
What makes a GAPC?
• . Important natural resources, culturally
valuable areas, recreation areas, high
density areas, significant commercial and
industrial areas, natural hazard areas, and
natural protection areas are categories to be
used as a basis for GAPC.
Current GAPC’s
• Port of Mobile (State Docks)
• Mobile-Tensaw River Delta
Current APR’s
• Point of Pines Wetland System
• Dauphin Island Audubon Sanctuary
• Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research
Reserve
Little Lagoon Proposal for GAPC
• Little Lagoon is a 10 miles long and 1/2
mile wide on the north side of the Gulf of
Mexico on the Alabama coast. It is
separated from the Gulf by a 1/2 mile wide
stretch of beach known in Gulf Shores as
West Beach. Its brackish water is mix of
overflow from the mostly fresh water Lake
Shelby and salt water from the Gulf.
GAPC Nomination Process
• GAPC can be proposed by the Coastal
Resource Advisory Committee or ADEM
• ADCNR request ADEM to consider Little
Lagoon as a GAPC
• ADEM incorporates the GAPC into the
Division 8 Coastal Regulations
• NOAA and Governor’s Office approve
Little Lagoon Proposed
Boundary
• The proposed boundary of the Little Lagoon
GAPC encompasses 2,480 surface acres and
is determined by the mean high tide line.
Little Lagoon ADEM/GAPC
Permits
• Dredging or filling
• Land development on parcels larger than 5
acres
• Structures in water (marinas, piers, docks,
boathouses)
• Shoreline stabilization erosion mitigation
• Canals/ ditches/boat slips
Assistance to local governments
• Provide grants to local coastal governments
for low cost public access improvement
sites (Moe’s Landing)
Local Beach and Dune Programs
• Provide funding to local governments (City
of Gulf Shores) for local beach and dune
permitting and protection program.
Provide technical assistance and
planning grants to governments
• Develop Comprehensive Plans
• Develop hazard mitigation plans
• Develop special area plans, including water
shed, storm water, greenways, public access
plans
309 Assessment and Strategies
In 1990, Congress created a new program
under the Coastal Zone Management Act,
called the Coastal Zone Enhancement
Program that provides incentives for states
and territories to make changes in any of
eight areas of national significance.
Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program
States develop and implement programs to control
nonpoint source pollution from six main sources:
–
–
–
–
–
Agricultural
forestry
urban development
marinas
hydromodifications (such as dams or stream channel
modifications) and
– loss of wetland and riparian areas.
Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation
Program (CELCP)
• Established in FY 2002
• Protects important coastal and estuarine areas
• Gives priority to lands that that have significant
ecological value.
• NOAA established guidelines that would make CELCP
project selection an objective and nationally competitive
process.
• NOAA developed CELCP guidelines that require any
state wanting to participate in this voluntary program to
first prepare a CELC Plan.
NERRS
• The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS), a network of
27 protected areas, conducts valuable research, education, and
stewardship programs that are utilized by State CZM Programs.
• The NERRS System-wide Monitoring Program provides valuable long-term
water quality and weather data. Coastal managers use this monitoring
data to make informed decisions on local and regional issues.
• The NERRS Coastal Training Program provides science-based information
to decision-makers and has helped bridge the gap between science and
management.
Protecting America’s Coasts
The CZM State/ Federal CZM
Partnership provides the
capability to deal with many
pressures:
– population growth
– hurricanes and flooding
– coastal erosion
– wetland loss
– declining water quality and
– a shortage of public access.
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
Funding for CZMA
Resource assessment
Goals
Performance measures
Evaluations
Need to reauthorize the CZMA to
strengthen the planning and coordination
capabilities of the coastal states and
enable them to incorporate a coastal
watershed and regional approach and
thus more effectively manage growth.
Coastal Management
•
•
•
•
A true Federal/ State Partnership
Questions
www.alabama.com
Phillip.Hinesley@dcnr.alabama.gov