Defined Coastal Zone The coastal zone includes all lands as well as Territory waters and submerged lands extending seaward 3 miles. Federal lands are excluded. Federal Program Support 1982-1989: $3.5 million. Major Program Accomplishments The ASCMP has led an ongoing interagency effort to cleanup the inner Pago Pago Harbor. Pago Pago Harbor is considered one of the finest natural harbors in the South Pacific. This cleanup effort led to an increase in public awareness and support for the Harbor. • The ASCMP has developed a revised Project Notification and Review System (PNRS) that decreases permit approval time and coordinates interagency reviews. The revised permit system differentiates between major and minor permits. Minor permits currently take 1-3 days for approval compared to 3-5 weeks under the old process; major permit projects are now processed in 10-15 days compared to 2-3 months under the old system. SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS Protecting Natural Resources The ASCMP has been actively involved in cleaning up Pago Pago Harbor. CZMP funds have been used to contract with a local boat owner who has the authority to issue fines and citations to polluters and to patrol the harbor daily to remove debris. The boat's crew has also received training to clean up oil spills. • The Marine Awareness Program, sponsored by the ASCMP, is a highly successful public awareness and education program. The Program includes a boat trip, as well as research competitions for school children. For example, over 5,600 eighth grade students have participated in boat trips around the island of Tutulia on various research and monitoring expeditions. Also, high school students participating in "Amerika Samoa Marine Symposium" conducted and presented research projects concerning the marine environment to scientists, teachers, peers, and the general public. Coast Week '88 activities provided additional public awareness for the ASCMP. Coast Week activities included reef walks, a sign and trash can painting competition, beach clean-up, and lectures on coastal resources. Providing Public Access to Coastal Recreation The ASCMP has constructed an archaeological park to restore and maintain the Tafuna "TiaLupe" (star-mound) site for public use and to include the site in its registry of Historic Parks. The "Tia-Lupe" is located at the edge of a virgin lowland forest that is the last of its kind. Although the exact function of these rock formations is not known, it is hypothesized that they were used for ancient pigeon and dove hunting around 1300-1400 A.D. ASCMP funding has catalyzed efforts to increase public access towards the Fisheries dock. The Malaloa Bulkhead, which was constructed as part of the major Fagatogo Downtown Redevelopment Project, provides better water access and mooring for recreational and commercial fishing fleets. Promoting Urban Waterfront Development The Malaloa Bulkhead project has opened the door for four new marine dependent businesses operating adjacent to the bulkhead. Improving Government Operations • As part of the revised PNRS, an Interagency Review Committee has been established to aid the new permitting process. Under the revised system, an interview between the applicant and review agencies is required to determine what permits will be necessary for the project and to explain the application procedures. The DPO undertook a local outreach program to the local village chiefs to gain the chief's support for the ASCMP and foster their participation in the Program. The ASCMP is working closely with the Department of Public Safety to stop the illegal mining of sand and coral rubble. Increased enforcement (routine beach patrols) as well as public outreach and education efforts are being implemented to control this problem. Mitigating Coastal Storm Damage and Coastal Hazards The ASCMP has commissioned a study of Landslide High Hazard Areas for the Territory, which will eventually result in upgraded construction standards and/or review criteria for construction within such zones. CALIFORNIA Date of Program Approval 1978 Federal Program Support 1982-1989- $186 Million National Estuarine Research Reserves: Tijuana River COASTAL RESOURCE INFORMATION Special/National Significance of California's Coast The California coast is an area of unsurpassed beauty containing rich and varied resources. The coastline includes mountain ranges, streams, rocky shores, beaches and islands, in addition to vast renewable and nonrenewable offshore resources. California also possesses one of the largest natural bay-estuary systems in the world—the San Francisco Bay. Principal Coastal Threats and Emerging Challenges • Increased and rapid residential and commercial development is reducing open space and encroaching on valuable wildlife habitats in the San Francisco Bay area and is degrading limited coastal resources in Southern California. Effects of sea level rise on coastal real estate and natural resources, especially in erosion hazard, wetlands and subsiding areas. • Encouraging coast-dependent development over other development on the coast. • Increased enforcement efforts to better monitor permitted projects and activities and detect and enforce unpermitted activities. COASTAL PROGRAM INFORMATION Program Description California's Coastal Management Program (CMP) is administered by two separate agencies, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and the California Coastal Commission (CCC). The BCDC has responsibility for the San Francisco Bay area. Its activities are governed by the McAteer-Petris Act and the Suisun Marsh Preservation Act. The CCC has responsibility for the rest of the coast. The CCC was established by the California Coastal Act, which also requires all coastal cities and counties to prepare local coastal programs to implement the Coastal Act at the local level. Defined Coastal Zone California's coastal zone is made up of two segments; an ocean coastline segment and a San Francisco Bay segment. The ocean coastline segment extends 3 miles seaward and inland far enough to include important coastal estuarine habitat, and recreation areas. In rural areas, the coastal zone extends up to 5 miles inland. In developed urban areas, it extends as little as a few hundred feet. The San Francisco Bay segment of the coastal zone includes all of San Francisco Bay and the Suisun Marsh and extends inland 100 feet from the shoreline of San Francisco Bay. Federal Program Support 1982-1989: $18.6 million. Major Program Accomplishments CZM funds have been used to acquire public access, valuable coastal wetlands, and coastal areas of archeological significance. • Obtaining public accessways along California's coast has been an important element of California's coastal management program. Both the BCDC and the CCC review all development projects for public access impacts. In the last 2 years, 44 miles of beach access have been opened along the California coast. Public access mitigation is frequently required as a permit condition. Since 1970, BCDC's permitting program has resulted in the creation of over 1,100 acres of new Bay surface. SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS Protecting Natural Resources To help protect the San Francisco Bay area's decreased wetland and open space inventory, CZM funds were used to help purchase the Rush Ranch in Suisun Marsh in Solano County. CZM funds have been used by the California Coastal Conservancy to develop wetlands restoration and enhancement plans and habitat conservation plans for Federally endangered species. California contains two National Estuarine Research Reserve Programs, Elkhorn Slough and Tijuana River, which provide research and educational opportunities. Providing Public Access to Coastal Recreation Since BCDC was established, over 96 miles of public access to the Bay Shoreline has been provided. Established prior to the CZMA, the BCDC has stimulated public interest and impetus to provide the framework for establishing the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. This national park hosts 25,000,000 visitors per year. ⚫ Using the federal consistency provisions of the CZMA, the CCC was able to acquire an abandoned railroad corridor from the Southern Pacific Railroad. This corridor has been developed into a regional recreational trail that hosts a Monarch Butterfly forest, Fisherman's Wharf, Steinbeck's Cannery Row, and sea otter observation points in addition to other recreational amenities. Again, using the consistency review process, the CCC negotiated an agreement with the Air Force to permanently preserve 135 acres of land at White Point and create White Point Park, an important urban coastal park. The Department of Parks and Recreation estimates that when finished, the park will generate $600,000 in tourism generated revenue per year. Promoting Urban Waterfront Development The California Coastal Conservancy publishes a quarterly magazine, "California Waterfront Age", to provide an evaluation of private and public initiatives for waterfront restoration. Preserving Ports and Marinas CZM funds were used to help Sonoma County develop a plan to provide a badly needed marina for the state's commercial fishing industry. The Spuds Point Marina was developed to provide full-service facilities to the commercial fishing industry. The terms of the permit by the CCC determined that at least 80 percent of the marina's berths must be reserved for commercial fishing vessels. The marina also provides public fishing access along the breakwater. Improving Government Operations The Design Review Board (DRB), a panel made up of eminent architects, landscape architects, engineers and site planners, advises the BCDC on whether the designs for projects proposed along the San Francisco Bay shoreline will provide public access. The BCDC uses the DRB's recommendations to assure that the public access in BCDC-approved projects will be effective and inviting. The BCDC has established an Engineering Criteria Review Board (ECRB), a panel consisting of geologists, civil engineers specializing in soils engineering, structural engineers, and architects, to review all major projects proposed to be built on new Bay fill so that appropriate safety measures are incorporated into the project designs. The independent engineering review provided by the ECRB has assured that the structures built on new Bay fill over the past two decades have been designed to reflect the latest information on seismic safety. As a result, the projects scrutinized by the ECRB suffered very little damage during the 1989 earthquake in the San Francisco Bay area. A total of 43 out of 71 Local Coastal Plans (LCP) have been certified by the CCC, including 12 out of 15 counties. Certification by the CCC results in the transfer of permitting responsibility to the local jurisdictions. In addition, the CCC is responsible for reviewing the LCPs every 5 years for consistency with the California Coastal Act. The CCC has an effective working relationship with many federal and state agencies. Particular efforts have been made over the last year to improve relations with other federal agencies. For example, the CCC and the Minerals Management Service are considering scheduling periodic meetings to discuss application or project status (of exploration activities), in addition to policy and consistency concerns. • The BCDC is consolidating its three application forms into one form and has prepared easy-tounderstand instructions for completing the form. The BCDC allowed applicants to use the new form on a trial basis for 5 months and revised the form and instructions to reflect the results of the trial. The application form can be used for federal consistency submittals as well as for permit applications. Developing Natural Resources Using the federal consistency process, the CCC has worked to ensure that 41 OCS oil and gas plans of exploration, development and production have included the necessary provisions to protect the environment. Mitigating Coastal Storm Damage and Coastal Hazards The BCDC has taken the initiative to implement policies concerning the coastal impacts of sea level rise. Under these new policies, projects must incorporate sea level rise as a design criteria for development projects. The BCDC has sponsored a workshop for local governments to encourage and assist them in addressing the issue of sea level rise in their local plans and ordi nances. CONNECTICUT Date of Program Approval: 1980 Federal Program Support 1982-1989: $5.7 Million COASTAL RESOURCE INFORMATION Special/National Significance of Connecticut's Coast Connecticut contains the northern shoreline of Long Island Sound, which is a protected estuary commonly referred to as America's Mediterranean, comprised of extensive salt water tidal wetlands, shellfish beds, significant recreational boating facilities, and a nuclear submarine base. Principal Coastal Threats and Emerging Challenges • Water quality/nutrient enrichment in Long Island Sound. Restoration of diked or degraded coastal marshes (restoration potential for 8,000-10,000 acres). Balancing further expansion of recreational boating with the protection of sensitive coastal resources. Effects of sea level rise on coastal real estate, especially in erosion hazard areas. |