Coastal Sector Laws and Regulations
This tab includes laws, legislation, regulations, agency guidance, and executive orders relevant to the coastal sector.
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November 5, 2018
On November 5, 2018, Mayor Suarez of Miami signed a Resolution directing city staff to research the effects of “climate gentrification” on low-income communities that are inland at higher elevations, and to explore ways to stabilize property taxes to reduce displacement. The City of Miami, Florida is seeing high rates of sea-level rise and increasing incidence of nuisance flooding in low-lying areas. As a result, higher elevation areas of the city, which house many of Miami’s lower and moderate income communities, are seeing greater development pressures, which is affecting property values and taxes.
Resource Category: Solutions
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November 2, 2018
Executive Order 24 (2018), issued by Governor Ralph Northam, established a statewide strategy to increase Virginia’s resilience to sea level rise and natural hazards. It clarified the duties of the Chief Resilience Officer, previously appointed as the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and subsequently formalized in House Bill 1313 (2020).
Resource Category: Law and Governance
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October 17, 2018
In 2018, the City of Boston’s Public Works Department issued standards and guidelines for climate-resilient infrastructure to protect public rights-of-way from an expected 40-inch increase in sea level by 2070. In particular, the guidelines are intended to inform height adjustments for structures to account for sea-level rise, and establish a climate-resilient design process for shoreline barriers. City engineers and designers will be able to use these guidelines to inform designs for flood barriers protecting public rights-of-way to ensure they are prepared for the acute and chronic flooding conditions expected in coming years.
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September 21, 2018
AB 3012 authorizes the State Coastal Conservancy to address climate change impacts on California’s coastal resources through funding projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address extreme weather events, sea level rise, storm surge, beach and bluff erosion, salt water intrusion, flooding, and other coastal hazards that threaten coastal communities, infrastructure, and natural resources.
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September 7, 2018
California Governor Brown’s Executive Order (EO) directs the state Department of Food and Agriculture and Department of Fish and Wildlife to work together to protect ecosystems, plants and wildlife while restoring and building climate resilience in habitats across the state. The order also supports the state's new California Biodiversity Initiative, an action plan to protecting the state's ecosystems and diversity of wildlife and plants. The Executive Order and Initiative will improve understanding of the state’s biological diversity, and identify and implement strategies to protect the state’s biodiversity from climate change.
Resource Category: Law and Governance
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September 1, 2018
The California Biodiversity Initiative was enacted by Governor Brown’s Executive Order B-54-18 in order to “improve understanding of the State’s biological richness and identify actions to preserve, manage, and restore ecosystems to protect the State’s biodiversity from climate change.”
Resource Category: Solutions
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August 21, 2018
Massachusetts Governor Baker has authorized over $2. 4 billion in capital allocations for investments in adaptation to climate change, protecting environmental resources and green space across the state. H 4835 enables critical financing for the state and local level environmental and community resilience. The legislation expands and codifies commitments of Executive Order 569 to ensure climate change adaptation and resiliency continue to be prioritized, state agency climate change vulnerability assessments are ongoing, and the State Integrated Hazard Mitigation Plan and Climate Adaptation Plan are continuously updated and implemented.
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August 15, 2018
In August 2018, Governor John Bel Edwards launched the Louisiana Watershed Initiative in response to historic flooding events in 2016 that revealed Louisiana's high susceptibility to flooding throughout the state. Louisiana has a devastating history of flooding, with the state experiencing 16 federally declared flood- and hurricane-related disasters in the past 20 years. The Watershed Initiative is a statewide effort to reduce flood risk and increase flood resilience in Louisiana through regional coordination of floodplain management.
Resource Category: Planning
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July 18, 2018
On July 18, 2018, the city of Satellite Beach, FL, adopted Ordinance No. 1159, which updated building setback standards for structures in areas vulnerable to coastal erosion, requiring that new and existing structures be located at least 15 feet from the Coastal Construction Control Line.
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June 22, 2018
On June 22, 2018, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed Senate Bill 265 creating a new cabinet-level position to address coastal adaptation and protection in Virginia. The bill states that the Special Assistant to the governor will be responsible for leading statewide efforts in response to coastal flooding; working to initiate economic development opportunities associated with adaptation; and fostering coordination throughout the Commonwealth, especially in Hampton Roads, a coastal region of the state that is most vulnerable to sea level rise and land subsidence.
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