Hawai’i Tackles Sea Level Rise

Hawai‘i Coastal Zone Management Act. The HCZMA, codified in Chapter 205A of the Hawai ‘i Revised Statutes, is an important planning tool for regulating development and land use within the coastal zone. The Act already contains objectives and policies for protecting life and property from coastal hazards and storm surge but could be amended to more directly address sea-level rise impacts. For example, South Carolina’s Coastal Zone Management Act now includes policies for retreating from the coastline to adapt to erosion caused by sea-level rise. In Rhode Island, the Coastal Resources Management Program requires consideration of 3 to 5 feet of sea-level rise by 2100 in siting, designing, and implementing coastal activities.

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