Coastal Policies

Maryland’s Coastal Policies Now Available Online

On March 18, 2011, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced its approval of a Routine Program Change (RPC) to Maryland’s Enforceable Coastal Policies. The RPC was submitted to NOAA on November 19, 2010. Federal consistency applies to the updated policies on April 8, 2011.

Under the Coastal Zone Management Act, direct Federal actions, Federal license or permit activities and federal financial assistance activities that have reasonably foreseeable coastal effects must be consistent with the enforceable policies of state coastal management programs. Maryland’s enforceable coastal policies and NOAA’s approval letter are available below.

More information on the federal consistency review process is available below, and at http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/consistency/welcome.html. For information on Maryland’s coastal enforceable policies, e-mail Joe Abe with Maryland’s Chesapeake & Coastal Program or call 410.260.8740.

MARYLAND’S ENFORCEABLE COASTAL POLICIES General Policies Core Policies Water Quality Flood Hazards Coastal Resources The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Tidal Wetlands Non-Tidal Wetlands Forests Historical and Archaeological Sites Living Aquatic Resources Coastal Uses Mineral Extraction Electrical Generation and Transmission Tidal Shore Erosion Control Oil and Natural Gas Facilities Dredging and Disposal of Dredged Material Navigation Transportation Agriculture Development Sewage Treatment

Maryland Enforceable Coastal Policies 2011-Full Document MD 2010 RPC Approval Letter

Routine Program Change-November 2010

Routine Program Change Overview

Presentation to the Interagency Joint Evaluation - December 1, 2010

Federal Consistency

In addition to administering federal and State funds, the Chesapeake & Coastal Program is responsible for maintaining and updating Maryland’s enforceable policies. Through the federal consistency provision of the CZMA, federal actions that have foreseeable effects on coastal uses and resources are required to be consistent with the enforceable policies of state coastal management programs approved by NOAA. The process by which a state decides whether a federal action meets its enforceable policies is called federal consistency review. The Chesapeake & Coastal Program has published a guide to the federal consistency process in Maryland. Click the thumbnail below to download the document, "A Guide to Maryland's Coastal Zone Management Program Federal Consistency Process".

For more information on Federal Consistency in action at the State level, contact Elder Ghigiarelli with the Maryland Department of the Environment at eghigiarelli@mde.state.md.us.

For information on Maryland’s coastal enforceable policies, e-mail Joe Abe with Maryland’s Chesapeake & Coastal Program or call 410.260.8740.