Defend the Coastal Zone Management Act

The Surfrider Foundation is working to safeguard bedrock coastal management law from legislative attacks and ensure states continue to have the authority and funding to protect beaches and coastlines and advance coastal resilience. At a time when our coasts are being battered by storms, flooding, and erosion, and beach habitats are feeling the impacts of coastal squeeze, states need every tool to manage risky development that puts our people, infrastructure, and coastal habitats in harm’s way. Preserving the Coastal Zone Management Act is paramount to ensuring our coasts and beaches are protected from the impacts of sea level rise and climate change, with states having the tools and authority to best manage and plan for these impacts. 

As the 119th Congress began, there were rumblings of threats to the Coastal Zone Management Act. The law, and the authority it bestows on coastal states to manage their shores, has been subject to attacks via HR1874, legislation introduced in the House that would significantly curb state authority and weaken the voice of coastal communities, in responding to certain developments and activities in their coastal areas. In addition to legislation explicitly targeting the Coastal Zone Management Act, there is a harmful rider in the House Commerce Fiscal Year 2026 budget that would significantly limit how funds through the Coastal Zone Management Act Grant Program are used by states. In tandem, these two legislative actions seek to upend coastal policy that has protected our shorelines for more than 50 years. Furthermore, a recent executive order signals further threats to the law and its programs by the Trump administration.

Surfrider is working to protect the future of our coasts by fighting policy and harmful budget riders that would dismantle the Coastal Zone Management Act in the 119th Congress. By advocating for at least level funding for NOAA programs, including Coastal Zone Management Act Grants, and opposing harmful riders in the FY2026 budget with Congressional leaders, and opposing HR1874 and any companion legislation introduced in the Senate, Surfrider is working to ensure that coastal states and communities continue to have a strong voice in how their coasts are managed for generations to come. 

Photo Credit: Geoff Glenn