New York State Coastal Management Program

New York State Coastal Management Program
Name	New York State Coastal Management Program
Jurisdiction	New York State
Established	1982
Administering agency	New York State Department of State, Office of Planning and Development
Federal involvement	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

Contents

New York State Coastal Management Program

The New York State Coastal Management Program is a federally approved Coastal Zone Management initiative administered through the New York State Department of State that integrates state, regional, and local planning to protect and manage shoreline resources across Long Island, the Hudson River, the Great Lakes coastline and the New York Harbor. It coordinates with federal entities such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and links to regional bodies including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Hudson River Estuary Program to guide land use, habitat protection, and coastal resilience across diverse jurisdictions like New York City, Nassau County, Erie County, and Suffolk County.

Overview and Purpose

The program's purpose is to advance integrated management of coastal resources, balancing development pressures in places like Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Yonkers with conservation goals for areas such as the Peconic Estuary and Fire Island National Seashore. It seeks to reduce risks from hazards exemplified by Hurricane Sandy, protect ecosystems including salt marshes, link with transportation infrastructure like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and support economic activities in sectors tied to Port of New York and New Jersey and commercial fisheries. The program aligns with federal statutes such as the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and engages actors including the New York State Legislature, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and municipal governments.

The legal framework rests on state law enacted by the New York State Legislature and on federal approval by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Institutional roles involve the New York State Department of State as lead agency, coordination with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and consultation with regional authorities like the Long Island Regional Planning Board and Northeast Regional Ocean Council. The program incorporates policy instruments reflecting statutes such as the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and regulatory interactions with agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Local enactments by municipalities such as City of Albany, Rochester, and tribal authorities including Shinnecock Indian Nation influence permitting and land-use decisions.

Coastal resource areas covered include barrier islands like Jones Beach State Park, estuaries such as the Hudson River Estuary, Great Lakes shores on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, embayments such as New York Bight, and harbor systems including New York Harbor. Uses addressed range from maritime commerce at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal and Port Jefferson Harbor to recreation at Coney Island and Jones Beach, habitat protection for species managed under the Endangered Species Act and the New York State Marine Mammal Program, and infrastructure sited near facilities like LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport. The program considers cultural resources in places like Ellis Island and Governor's Island and supports working waterfronts tied to industries in Red Hook, Brooklyn and Port Richmond.

Core components include coastal resource inventories, regulatory review of federally permitted actions, state policy development, and technical assistance to municipalities such as City of Buffalo and City of Albany. Activities involve hazard mitigation planning responsive to events like Superstorm Sandy, shoreline restoration projects near Fire Island National Seashore, living shoreline initiatives in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council, and habitat restoration with partners including the Nature Conservancy and the Audubon Society of New York State. The program integrates spatial analysis using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's coastal mapping programs and engages universities such as Columbia University, Stony Brook University, and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry for research and capacity building.

Funding mechanisms combine federal funding under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 with state appropriations from the New York State Division of the Budget and competitive grants administered with partners like the Environmental Protection Fund and regional organizations including the Northeast Regional Ocean Council. Grant programs support municipal resilience projects in counties such as Richmond County and Westchester County, non-profit initiatives by groups such as the Riverkeeper and NY/NJ Baykeeper, and academic research by institutions including Princeton University and Rutgers University. Public–private partnerships engage entities like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and philanthropic organizations including the Rockefeller Foundation.

Implementation relies on coordination among state agencies, municipal planning boards, and federal permit authorities including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard. Enforcement tools draw on state regulatory authorities overseen by the New York State Attorney General and administrative processes administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Department of State. Compliance monitoring is linked to federal consistency reviews under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and to environmental impact processes coordinated with the New York State Department of Transportation and regional planning entities like the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) networks in New York.

Monitoring uses data streams from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's monitoring programs, and academic partners including Cornell University and CUNY Graduate Center. Evaluation employs indicators related to shoreline change, habitat condition, and socioeconomic metrics tracked in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau and regional economic development agencies like the Empire State Development Corporation. Adaptive management addresses sea level rise projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and integrates resilience strategies promoted by Federal Emergency Management Agency, local planners in City of Yonkers, and non-profits such as The Nature Conservancy to revise policies and prioritize investments.

Category:Environment of New York (state)