Reducing Coastal Risk on the East and Gulf Coasts (2014) / Chapter Skim
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5 A Vision for Coastal Risk Reduction
5 A Vision for Coastal Risk Reduction
Pages 133-150
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From page 133... ...
Congressional authorization for major coastal risk reduction projects occurs when attention is focused on a recent disaster. Once attention fades, the public no longer identifies accumulating coastal risk as a problem worth serious investments, and congressional attention is diverted to other issues.
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From page 134... ...
and work collaboratively with related programs, such as housing and development strategies, environmental restoration activities, sustainable economic development programs, and state and local hazard mitigation and adaptation initiatives. In today's coastal management programs, there is limited focus on long-term resilience, planning for future conditions, or comprehensive consideration of nonstructural alternatives for coastal risk reduction.
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From page 135... ...
. Although planning takes place at a local level, the federal government can work collaboratively with state and local governments to craft a vision for sustainable coastal communities and identify objectives and metrics that can serve as risk reduction targets.
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From page 136... ...
Support for a national vision for coastal risk reduction requires federal leadership and a consistent, collaborative approach. Such an approach would identify and address contradictory agency programs, so that agencies can leverage other related federal and nonfederal efforts and reduce conflicts.
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From page 137... ...
The state of North Carolina is currently developing an Integrated Hazard Risk Management program, using geospatial analysis tools and models to compile data on "the area, variability, degree, and possibility of impact" of 15 natural hazards including coastal flooding and hurricane winds.2 There is a need to develop replicable and robust baseline metrics that are easily understood and applicable to risk management and planning processes. Once established, a set of baseline risk indicators would provide a useful way to monitor and examine change in risks due to a range of factors (e.g., coastal risk reduction projects, state and local land-use policies, and 2 See irisk.nc.gov/irisk/About.aspx.
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From page 138... ...
Information included in the report should communicate levels of risk to the public, and document how risk is changing over time. The report could include scenarios of major disasters under present conditions and projected estimates of loss given changes in urban growth patterns, risk reduction projects, and hazard exposures induced by climate change.
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From page 139... ...
Federal-State Coordination Once national goals and objectives for coastal risk reduction are established, increased efforts are needed to build risk management capacity at the state and local levels. Thus, an effective, comprehensive risk management framework will require much more extensive support for collaborative partnerships between the federal government and state, local, and private sectors that are charged with implementation.
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From page 140... ...
Adaptive management is well suited for coastal risk reduction efforts given the incomplete knowledge of how a coastal risk management program will reduce damages from future storms. The framework also lends itself to dealing with complex social-ecological dynamics, which present a challenge to coastal risk management.
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From page 141... ...
5. Develop and implement Coastal risk reduction strategies are evaluated and robust and flexible implemented, with an emphasis on robust strategies that are management strategies.
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From page 142... ...
Federal coastal risk reduction projects continue to be built that enable development and redevelopment in high-hazard areas. Additionally, growing federal post-disaster relief reduces the incentives for communities to take action to reduce future losses (see Chapter 2)
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From page 143... ...
Only 12.4 percent of all possible land-use actions are included in local plans, compared with 51 percent for emergency services, 34 percent for education and awareness, and 34 percent for structural risk reduction measures. Most local hazard mitigation plans overlook opportunities to encourage new development to locate outside of flood hazard areas or to assist home and business owners to relocate to safer sites (Berke et al., 2012; Lyles et al., 2013)
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From page 144... ...
Cluster development Provision requiring clustering of development away from hazardous areas, such as through conservation subdivisions Density Transfer Provisions Density transfer Provision for transferring development rights to control density; may be transfer of development rights or purchase of development rights Financial Incentives and Penalties Density bonuses Density bonuses such as ability to develop with greater density in return for dedication or donation of land in areas subject to hazards Tax abatement Tax breaks offered to property owners and developers who use mitigation methods for new development Special study Provision requiring impact fees or special study fees on development in hazardous areas; may indicate fees required to cover costs of structural risk reduction measures Land Use Analysis and Permitting Process Land suitability Hazards are one of the criteria used in analyzing and determining the suitability of land for development
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From page 145... ...
that have progressive public and private property acquisition and relocation programs could pay a smaller share of the cost for federal coastal risk reduction projects. The share of costs could be further decreased if local government were to impose stronger zoning and subdivision restrictions that limit development densities and apply strict building codes in privately owned open spaces in hazardous areas.
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From page 146... ...
upports monitoring and evaluation of the performance of risk reduction S practices based on measurable indicators to gauge goal achievement. A second step to strengthen local mitigation planning is to build commitment for land-use strategies for reducing coastal risk.
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From page 147... ...
As discussed in Chapter 4, the USACE does not need to wait for these revisions to begin implementing a more holistic framework for coastal risk reduction. Opportunities for Improving USACE Coastal Risk Reduction Strategies Within the current USACE planning framework, there are several opportunities for improving the planning and implementation of coastal risk reduction strategies to provide greater benefits and increase local responsibility.
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From page 148... ...
However, if federal cost-sharing could be made contingent (through PCAs or some other mechanism) upon meeting specific standards for stand-alone coastal hazard mitigation plans and integration of mitigation into local land-use plans, federal investments and cost sharing in coastal risk reduction projects could serve as positive incentives for local communities to reduce exposure to risk.
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From page 149... ...
Developing and implementing a national vision for coastal risk management is not the responsibility of any single agency alone, but will require federal leadership and extensive collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies. The federal government, working closely with states, should establish national objectives and metrics of coastal risk reduction.
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From page 150... ...
Although the USACE is limited in its capacity to independently initiate national coastal risk reduction strategies under its current authorities, it can use its existing planning framework to rigorously account for social and environmental costs and benefits, thereby supporting a more holistic view of coastal risk management. Additionally, the USACE should increase incentives for sound coastal planning and continue to develop and improve modeling tools to support state and local planning efforts.
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