Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA)
The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972 is a significant U.S. legislation aimed at promoting the sustainable management and protection of the nation's coastal zones, which include areas along the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes. Covering approximately 153,000 kilometers of coastline, the act addresses the challenges posed by extensive development pressures from recreation, fishing, agriculture, and industrial activities, particularly in regions where over half of the U.S. population resides within 80 kilometers of the coast.
Administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the CZMA establishes a federal-state partnership that provides both financial and technical assistance to states in developing their coastal management programs. This collaboration is designed to foster citizen participation in the planning process, ensuring that local communities have a voice in how land and water resources are utilized.
Over the years, the act has undergone several amendments to adapt to changing needs, including enhancing state authority over coastal resources and addressing environmental concerns such as pollution and habitat protection. These modifications reflect an ongoing commitment to balancing the diverse interests in coastal areas while safeguarding ecological health and public access. Overall, the CZMA plays a crucial role in shaping how coastal resources are managed in the United States.
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Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA)
Date: Enacted October 27, 1972
The Coastal Zone Management Act provides a framework for protecting and developing the U.S. coastal zones. Achieving both protection and development depends on land management accompanied by land-use planning and land-use regulation and control.
Background
The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 was passed by Congress in order to establish “a national policy and develop a national program for the management, beneficial use, protection, and development of the land and water resources of the nation’s coastal zones, and for other purposes.” The coastal zones included in the act are those of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes. The length of coastline involved is about 153,000 kilometers. The extensive nature of the coastal area of the United States means that thirty states and four territories—Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa—are eligible for coastal zone management assistance.
The Coastal Zone Management Act was passed as a result of concern for the vulnerable nature of the coastal zones and their exposure to intensive development pressures. These pressures include recreation, fishing, agriculture, housing, transportation, and industrial development. With more than half of the U.S. population living within eighty kilometers of a coastal area, the pressures are considerable. The act is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Coastal Zone Management. The federal role consists of providing assistance to states as they develop programs to manage the coast in a manner sufficient to deal with the problems arising from competing land uses.
Provisions
Federal assistance takes the form of both financial and technical aid. Paragraph (h) of section 302 of the act emphasizes the importance of a state’s role in exercising its authority over the land and water resources of the coastal zone. Especially important in this exercise of authority is the encouragement of citizen involvement in the overall planning process. From the state perspective, such citizen participation has helped in the development of land-use planning guidelines relating to designation of the coastal zone areas, determination of land uses within the coastal zone, the identification of areas of particular concern, the identification of the ways by which the state will control land and water uses, and guidelines for establishing the priority of uses.
Impact on Resource Use
Over the years, the Coastal Zone Management Act has been amended several times. In 1976, the states were given additional time and money for program development. Energy-related coastal development, provisions for access to public beaches, and increased agency cooperation were also part of the 1976 amendments. According to the Congressional Quarterly Almanac (1985), the reauthorization of the Coastal Zone Management Act in 1985 lowered the federal share of costs to be paid. Changes in 1990 gave the states more say over federal activities in offshore areas, especially regarding oil and gas production. The 1990 reauthorization established coastal nonpoint source pollution control plans and required the Environmental Protection Agency to establish uniform national guidelines for controlling nonpoint source pollution in coastal areas. The act was further amended in 1996, 1998, and 2004 to regulate aquaculture facilities and to research the effects of algal blooms and hypoxia.