Coastal Services Center

The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) is the congressional plan for managing America's coasts. It was enacted to encourage the participation and cooperation of state, local, regional, and federal agencies and governments having programs affecting the coastal zone. The CZMA is the only environmental program that requires a balance between economic development and resource protection within the coastal zone.

The act allows states to develop a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) in which they define permissible land and water use within the state coastal zone. This coastal zone extends 3 miles seaward and inland as far as necessary to protect the coast.