The Heinz Center conducted the most sweeping study of coastal erosion in the United States. What we found deserves the attention of every American who lives on our shores, visits our beaches this 4 th of July, or treasures the U.S. coastline as a source of natural beauty. Based on our findings, many homes and properties that Americans will enjoy on our coast this summer may not exist much longer. And these already alarming conclusions rely solely on past economic and environmental trends. Perhaps the only conclusion of our study more stunning than the scope of this problem is the scarcity of information about it.
Coastal erosion is as serious a threat as coastal flooding.
But while Americans have both the means and the motivation to assess their flood risk, no comparable information or incentive exists for the equally serious threat of erosion. We made a series of recommendations to fill that policy void. The two most important deserve brief mention here. First, Congress should instruct FEMA to develop and disseminate detailed erosion maps. Second, erosion risk should be a factor in determining rates for federal flood insurance.