Federal Coastal Flood Hazard Policy

Abstract

The coastline of the United States is a vast natural resource. It plays host to a wide variety of activities; from wildlife preserves and stretches of unspoiled beach to fishing communities and public recreation sites to major urban systems, oil refineries and nuclear power plants. This relatively thin stretch where land and ocean meet is a complex and diverse place, a string of rocky shores, cliffs, beaches, estuaries, bays, harbors, islands and marshes. It is a fertile yet fragile breeding ground for countless species of fish and wildlife. It is a great economic resource, providing us with shipping access to the rest of the world. It is a source of endless fascination, invention and wonder. We marvel at the power and relentlessness of the sea, the regularity of its tides, and the savage unpredictability of its storms.