Thursday, July 11, 2013
Erosion Commission Advances
Legislative language that I authored to create a coastal
erosion commission to address comprehensively and proactively the increasing
threats to property and public safety of erosion in coastal communities is now
awaiting approval by Governor Patrick as part of the Fiscal Year 2014 State
budget.
In the past several years we have seen time and again
serious risks to public safety and significant damage to homes, infrastructure
and coastal resources caused by repeated incidents of erosion up and down the
Massachusetts coast. We must take action
in the face of this ongoing threat to ensure that we are taking effective steps
to prevent damage to property and harm to people.
The 13 member commission created by the budget provision
would include representatives of coastal communities, environmental
organizations, property owners, and state and local regulatory agencies. Its
work would include reviewing all current laws and regulations involving coastal
resource protection and developing comprehensive strategies to eliminate or
mitigate the adverse impacts of erosion.
We shouldn’t wait for the next storm to chart a course
toward mitigating erosion and its hazards. Simply reacting to emergencies
caused by erosion is costly and often ineffective, and we can’t afford missteps
or ineffective responses with so much at stake. This commission can give us a
clear path to follow in ensuring that we act wisely and cost-effectively to
fight erosion before the next crisis.
