Approved by the Energy, Environment and Water Policy Committee on November 20, 2023
Approved by the Public Policy and Practice Committee on February 28, 2024
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July18, 2024

Policy

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports sustainable development within the coastal zone that protects public health, welfare, and the environment and considers sea level rise, high-intensity storms, and other impacts resulting from climate change. Further, ASCE supports:

  • Conservation of habitat, wetlands, and other coastal resources within the coastal zone including landward migration zones to allow these systems to adapt to sea level rise.
  • Avoidance, minimization, and mitigation of impacts to coastal resources resulting from development.
  • Use of natural infrastructure and nature-based solutions to the greatest extent practicable to maximize ecological, cultural, and recreational co-benefits.
  • Clear and concise regulations and a streamlined permitting process pertaining to development in the coastal zone that encourages preservation of natural systems and the use of nature-based solutions where possible.
  • Development and use of design guidance and standards that includes consideration of future weather patterns and sea level during the planning and design process.
  • Use of the most up to date standards and consideration of future weather and water levels. 
  • Regional collaboration and partnering among federal, state, and local governments to adopt coastal resource protection and restoration policies.
  • The continued funding and application of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA, Public Law 97-348) to ensure federal funding does not encourage or support development within undeveloped coastal barriers. 
  • Regional sediment management to encourage beneficial use of dredged sediment within the same system. (See PS 522)

Issue

The coastal zone provides numerous benefits and resources, including recreational activities, critical habitat, transportation, economic activities, and natural resources. Natural systems such as coastal wetlands, barrier islands, and beach/dune systems provide protection against coastal hazards, reducing damage to cities and towns and protecting lives. Climate change is impacting sea level and weather patterns impacting coastal areas and development within these areas is vulnerable to these impacts. 

Increased frequency and intensity of storms and sea levels rise reinforce the need for well-regulated and sustainable development planning, design, and implementation within the coastal zone. Projects in coastal areas sometimes experience costly delays or have been abandoned due to cumbersome permitting processes. A streamlined regulatory process is necessary to expedite thorough environmental reviews and identify the potential impacts of proposed development projects, and to determine whether those impacts can be mitigated in a way that is economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. ASCE encourages continued innovations to the regulatory review process that are based on sound science and engineering. 

Rationale

Due to the significant development within the coastal zone, natural coastal resources have been adversely impacted. Restoration and protection of these natural features are critical to future coastal resilience. Emphasis on planning, design and development of natural and nature-based solutions are necessary to improve community resilience to sea level rise, increased flooding, and storm events. Coastal counties are home to 38 percent of the U.S. population. Civil engineers are responsible for the built and natural infrastructure systems that support a significant portion of our economy and a diverse natural environment. The threats to our coastal areas are significant and include water pollution, subsidence, sea level rise, extreme weather events and seismic activity. 

ASCE Policy Statement 162
First Approved pre-1974

See also: 
PS 545 Flood Risk Management
PS 522 Regional Sediment Management
PS 360 Climate Change