Policy Options
Coastal Resilience Policy Options
April 6, 2022
Issue Area
Coastal Resilience
Overview
Sea level rise and the increasing frequency and strength of severe weather events have become major challenges for coastal communities, where flooding has caused billions of dollars in damage to both natural and built infrastructure.
Building off of federal programs like NOAA’s Coastal Zone Management Act, which provides matching funds to states and local governments to develop coastal protection programs, many state legislatures have instituted task forces focused specifically on creating resilient coastlines. These projects include flood and storm-resilient infrastructure, impeding coastal erosion, and rebuilding, protecting, and preserving natural flooding buffers like wetlands.
Key Facts
As sea levels rise, it increases the intensity and impacts of storm surges, which is flooding caused by extreme weather events like hurricanes.
The coast is home to 40% of the U.S. population with more than $1 trillion worth of property located within 700 feet of the ocean.
Coastal ecosystems can also provide cheaper and more effective shoreline protection than sea walls. Each year, coral reefs provide an estimated $10.9 billion of flood protection, and mangrove forests provide an average of $65 billion of flood protection.
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