Not everyone supports the report's findings. Some critics argue that by offering erosion insurance that private companies are unwilling to provide even at a significant cost the government is encouraging coastal development. Still others say the report is a misguided attempt to scare people away from living near the ocean. The American Coastal Coalition, an advocacy group for coastal communities, said in a statement that while residents should be aware of erosion hazards, they should not be discouraged from staying, or building, along the shore. Unfortunately the report cloaks bad policy recommendations in the garments of scientific respectability.
Researchers fly over shorelines to track the effects of erosion.
FEMA's Witt assured the public that the study was not meant to be overly dramatic. This report highlights the need for all of us to begin to make decisions about what we are going to do to protect our natural resources.