Coastal Zone Management Program facts for kids

The Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program is a special partnership in the United States. It helps protect and manage our country's amazing coastal areas and the Great Lakes. This program works with states and territories to keep our coasts healthy and beautiful for everyone.

What is the CZM Program?

The CZM Program started in 1972 with a law called the Coastal Zone Management Act. This law helps the U.S. government and coastal states work together. Their main goal is to protect, fix, and wisely develop the many different coastal communities and natural places.

The program has a big plan to manage coastal resources. It tries to find a good balance between using coastal areas, growing the economy, and protecting nature. This can be tricky because different groups often want different things.

Key Goals of the Program

The CZM Program focuses on several important things:

• Protecting natural places like beaches, wetlands, and animal homes.
• Managing new buildings in areas that are at risk, like from storms or floods.
• Making sure that businesses that need to be near the coast (like fishing or shipping) get priority.
• Providing public access so everyone can enjoy beaches and coastal areas for fun.
• Helping state and federal governments work together on coastal issues.

How the Program Works

The Coastal Zone Management Act gives money (grants) to states and territories that qualify. This money helps them create and follow plans for how they use their coastal lands and resources.

Most of the 35 states and territories that can join the program have approved plans. This means they are actively working to manage their coasts.

Protecting Coasts from Pollution

In 1990, new rules were added to the program. These rules require states to create plans to stop pollution that doesn't come from a single pipe or source. This kind of pollution is called "nonpoint pollution." It often comes from farms or city runoff.

These plans must include ways to control pollution and protect coastal waters. They focus on things like:

• Erosion: When soil washes away.
• Sediments: Dirt and sand that get into the water.
• Nutrients: Extra fertilizers that can harm water quality.
• Pesticides: Chemicals used on plants that can run into water.
• Grazing: How animals like cows affect the land near water.
• Animal waste: Poop from animals that can pollute water.

States must put these plans into action, even if it means making new rules. Both the EPA and the NOAA have approved these programs, helping states make sure our coasts stay clean and healthy.