Connecticut's Coastal Management Program

Turns 35!

Think back to 1980. Americans witnessed a "Miracle on Ice" as the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team beat the Soviet Union team in the semifinal game in Lake Placid, NY, going on the win the Gold Medal.  Mount Saint Helens erupted in Washington State, devastating 229 square miles and several million dollars' worth of timber in the surrounding area.  Ted Turner launched CNN, and Ronald Regan was elected President of the United States.  And sadly, John Lennon was taken from us much too soon, just steps from his home at The Dakota in New York City.  

These milestones all occurred the same year that another ground-breaking event took place: The Connecticut Coastal Management Act (CCMA) went into effect on January 1, 1980, setting a strong foundation for preserving and enhancing Long Island Sound and its coastal resources and protecting water-dependent uses along the shore.  And while some might argue that the birth of the state's coastal management program pales in comparison to, say, the birth of Ryan Gossling or Channing Tatum that same year, its positive effect on Connecticut's coastal resources and water-dependent uses is perhaps more deserving of celebrity status.  

Prior to 1980, Connecticut's coastal area had experienced extreme development pressure.  Historic development patterns along the coast had filled countless acres of tidal wetlands; spewed tons of pollutants into Long Island Sound; threatened displacement of water-dependent uses; placed people in harm's way by encouraging high-density residential development in high-risk, storm-prone areas; and thwarted the public's ability to get to the Sound.   

So it's no surprise that initially, the CCMA sought to avoid adverse impacts on coastal resources, prioritize the location of water-dependent uses at waterfront sites, minimize hazards to human life and coastal property from flooding and erosion, and improve and enhance public access to Long Island Sound, all while balancing environmental protection with economic growth.  And in the 35 years since its adoption, the CCMA has continually evolved to address emerging coastal issues and concepts including sea level rise, nonpoint source pollution, and living shorelines.   

Here are but a few of the many reasons to celebrate 35 years of Coastal Management in Connecticut. 

An Integrated Framework of Coastal Protection

The establishment of the CCMA helped to integrate federal, state, and municipal regulatory programs so that each level of government applies the same standards during project review. At the state level, the coastal management program integrated the Structures, Dredging and Fill and the Tidal Wetlands regulatory programs into a single coordinated framework of environmental protection and resource management.  This consolidation improved coordination between the permitting authorities with regard to coastal management and helped to revitalize what had been a disjointed and woefully understaffed program, and the resulting synergy from the coordinated application of all coastal regulatory authorities is a hallmark of the coastal management program and one of its particular strengths.  The CCMA also gives towns the authority to plan for protection of their unique coastal resources and appropriate use and development of their waterfronts through municipal coastal plans and coastal site plan review.

Protection and Restoration of Coastal Habitats
The CCMA builds on the foundation laid by Connecticut's landmark 1969 Tidal Wetlands Act by establishing a statewide policy encouraging the restoration of degraded tidal wetlands.  Thanks to the CCMA, Connecticut now has one of the most impressive restoration programs in the country, serving as a model for other restoration efforts nationwide. The coastal management program also works with other parts of DEEP and the Long Island Sound Study to restore other coastal habitats, benefiting populations of American shad, shortnose sturgeon, and other anadromous fish species in Connecticut (and the anglers who like to catch them!).  Pervious pavers, naturally vegetated riparian areas, and rain gardens are encouraged instead of heavily fertilized lawns and impervious parking lots immediately adjacent to coastal waters and resources, thereby protecting water quality from nonpoint source pollution. Land uses that can alter water temperature or dissolved oxygen, or contribute suspended solids, nutrients, or pathogens to Long Island Sound must be designed to minimize these impacts and pollutants.  Beaches and dunes that provide habitat and cover for piping plovers, least terns, sea turtles, and horseshoe crabs are provided a level of protection thanks to the CCMA.   

Support for Water-dependent Uses and Urban Waterfront Revitalization

Protecting water-dependent uses is an integral part of the CCMA. Water-dependent uses are defined as those recreational, commercial, and industrial uses and facilities that require direct access to, or location in, marine or tidal waters.  Examples of water-dependent uses include marinas, boatyards, and marine transportation facilities.  The CCMA also defines general public access as a water-dependent use, which helps ensure that waterfront sites that are not well-suited for other types of water-dependent uses are still evaluated during the development process to determine whether or not they can provide uses like public access walkways and fishing piers.  The CCMA also provides opportunities to work with many of our state's urban communities on redevelopment projects to reclaim their once-active waterfronts.  Central to many of these efforts is the revitalization of developed shorefronts to accommodate active water-dependent uses such as waterborne commerce, commercial and recreational fishing, boating, and--you guessed it--public access.  

Improved Management of Coastal Hazard Areas 

The historic intensive development patterns along Connecticut's shoreline have oftentimes resulted in unsafe living conditions.  For example, in some beachfront areas many homes had been constructed over the water, encroaching right into Long Island Sound.  Although these lapses in good judgement might support extreme measures, the CCMA has never prohibited coastal development.  Instead, the CCMA's goal for new development has always been to design and build away from coastal hazards, using elevation, appropriate setbacks, and the use of vegetated dunes and buffers to prevent the need for seawalls and other shoreline flood and erosion control structures.  In fact, shoreline flood and erosion control structures were initially only allowed under certain circumstances to protect infrastructure (i.e., roads, sewage treatment plants, etc.), water-dependent uses, and inhabited residential structures built prior to the January 1, 1980 effective date of the CCMA. It wasn't until the Coastal Omnibus Bill of 2012 was passed 32 years later that this standard was changed, and houses built after 1980 but before 1995 were then added to the list of uses for which erosion control structures may be allowed.

Connecticut's Coastal Management Program

Receives Rave Review

Well, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management has completed their review, and their findings in the recently issued the Final Draft of Connecticut's Section 312 Review are spectacular.  

The evaluators found that Connecticut's coastal management program was adhering to the programmatic requirements of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act, and noted a number of accomplishments within the three focus areas of Ocean Planning, Coastal Resilience, and Permitting:  

• Developing and completing Phase I of a seafloor mapping project for priority areas in Long Island Sound;
• Supporting municipalities in enhancing climate resilience through technical assistance and leveraging resources;
• Working with partners to restore coastal habitats and protect coastal lands; and
• Undertaking multiple permit streamlining efforts and creating a culture of continuous improvement in coastal permit processing.

The evaluators also specified recommendations to improve the program in these same focus areas.  The reports suggests that the coastal management program:

• Continue to support ocean planning efforts at regional and Long Island Sound scales; and
• Continue to support climate resilience by incorporating it into coastal planning and permitting processes.