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California Gets High Grade In Coastal Management Report
An aerial view of a hillside landslide brought on by heavy rains, which caused four ocean view buildings to be evacuated and shuttered due to unstable conditions, on March 16, 2023 in San Clemente, California.
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Mario Tama
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Getty Images
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Topline:
The Surfrider Foundation recently released its 2023 State of the Beach Report and they gave California an “A,” writing that “state’s commitment to coastal management is unparalleled,” thanks to the California Coastal Act, which regulates development.
More praise: Surfrider said that California is taking sea level rise seriously, including by requiring local land use plans to incorporate the issue in the next decade.
The not so good: The report knocked California when it came to coastal armoring, or allowing big concrete and rock walls to be built to stop sea water from coming inland, as it can lead to a total loss of beaches.
The prescription: It was recommended that we instead focus on implementing living shorelines which are more in line with natural processes, as I documented in Encinitas a few years ago.
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