This is a proposed updated Action Plan in the Buzzards Bay CCMP 2024 Update.

Planning for a Shifting Shorelines and Coastal Storms

Problem

For millennia, the Buzzards Bay coastline has been subject to the rise in sea level and storms that have continued to erode and shift materials that change the shape, elevation, and position of the shoreline. These processes shift the locations of barrier beaches and alter wetland areas, resulting in the loss of habitat for certain species, and cause the migration of other habitats like salt marshes. Structures and infrastructure built in these hazard-prone areas can impede or exacerbate natural processes. When structures and infrastructure are damaged or destroyed in storms, they are not only a financial loss for the owner but can become a financial burden to government. Damaged structures and infrastructure can also become hazards to public health and the environment. The frequency and intensity of these processes will likely increase in the coming decades due to climate change. Some state and federal programs are creating moral hazards by promoting development in high-risk areas.

The Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management updated its program plan with goals to prevent, eliminate, or significantly reduce threats leading to loss of life, destruction of property, and degradation of environmental resources that result from improper development, and to make coastal infrastructure more resilient to climate change. The state has also sought to limit public expenditures in coastal high hazard areas, allow natural physical coastal processes to continue unabated, to the extent feasible, and prioritize public expenditures for acquisition and relocation of structures out of hazardous coastal areas. Unfortunately, current state, federal, and local laws, regulations, and policies are far from achieving these goals.

Goals and Objectives

Changes: Some goals and objective had minor word changes to improve clarity. One new objective was added.

Goal 18.1. Protect public health and safety from problems associated with coastal hazards including rising sea level, shifting shorelines, and damage from storms and storm surge.
Goal 18.2. Plan for shifting shorelines, sea level rise, and the inland migration of coastal wetlands, dunes, and barrier beaches.
Objective 18.1. Incorporate sea level rise, increased frequency and intensity of coastal flooding and storms, and expected shoreline change into all relevant planning and management programs.
Objective 18.2. Develop a comprehensive strategy to address existing structures and public infrastructure in areas that will be affected by future shoreline changes and other coastal hazards.
Objective 18.3. Adopt regulatory and non-regulatory strategies to guide growth to areas not expected to be affected by coastal storms, flooding, and shoreline changes, and when appropriate require resilient growth and development strategies in these areas.
Objective 18.4. Adopt state and local emergency response plans to address emergency conditions caused by reduced access and flooding of coastlines.
Objective 18.5. Support research and monitoring into the efficacy of management practices to prevent salt marsh loss or restore or create marsh habitat. (New)
Objective 18.6. Ensure that adopted coastline climate resilience strategies are compatible with the migration of wetlands and barrier beaches. (New)
Objective 18.7. Promote land management, land protection, and restoration that support potential marsh migration. (New)
Objective 18.8. Assist municipalities with identifying and mapping marsh migration areas, and in identifying barriers to marsh migration and expansion. (New)