About | Coastal Zone Management Act
Congressional Action to Help Manage Our Nation's Coasts
The U.S. Congress recognized the importance of meeting the challenge of continued growth in the coastal zone by passing the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) in 1972. The Act, administered by NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM), provides for management of the nation's coastal resources, including the Great Lakes, and balances economic development with environmental conservation.
The CZMA outlines two national programs, the National Coastal Zone Management Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. The 34 coastal programs aim to balance competing land and water issues in the coastal zone, while estuarine reserves serve as field laboratories to provide a greater understanding of estuaries and how humans impact them. The overall program objectives of CZMA remain balanced to "preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, to restore or enhance the resources of the nation's coastal zone."
The Coastal Zone Management Act - by Section
Section 302 - Congressional findings
Section 303 - Congressional declaration of policy
Section 305 - Management program development grants
Section 306 - Administrative grants
Section 306A - Coastal resource improvement program
Section 6217 - Protecting coastal waters
Section 307 - Coordination and cooperation
Section 310 - Technical assistance
Section 312 - Review of performance
Section 313 - Records and audit
Section 314 - Walter B. Jones Excellence in Coastal Zone Management Awards
Section 315 - National Estuarine Research Reserve System
Section 316 - Coastal Zone Management Reports
Section 317 - Rules and Regulations