This undeveloped barrier island is in dramatic contrast to the heavily developed barrier island immediately to its north, shown in Photo 2. These images are reminders of what the U.S. coastline once was, and what it can become. Brief descriptions of some coastal resources and management issues of national interest are found in Appendix A . The demand for public access to coastal waters makes the protection and availability of beaches a national coastal problem. Coastal Uses Coastal programs address competing needs for resources, steer activities to appropriate areas of the coast, and minimize the effects of these activities on coastal resources.
States manage uses through their planning and regulatory authority over a specific use or area.
The protection of public beaches and the development of state-owned submerged lands for energy, marine transportation and marine recreation are responsibilities that arise under this doctrine. Coastal areas managed in the United States range from these undeveloped rocky headlands in Oregon to heavily urbanized areas of the Northeast. Regulatory measures such as permits, zoning ordinances and building codes are the primary elements of state programs to protect coastal resources. States also make wide use of incentives, voluntary programs, land acquisition, planning, public education and intergovernmental coordination. Section 307 of the CZMA, which requires federal agencies to conduct their activities in ways that are consistent with state coastal management programs, is also a key management technique.