ABSTRACT
Coastal zone management was “invented” a little more than a decade ago. There is wide agreement that coastal zone resources are of great value and that the public interest must be reflected in their allocation through governmental regulation. From a governmental perspective, the choice of mechanisms to regulate activities in the coastal zone deals with basic questions about the distribution of authority among the local, state, and national levels in our federal system. Federal action was being considered at the same time, and the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA) resulted. In order to satisfy CZMA requirements, states are expected to enter into land use policy and regulate activities which have traditionally been controlled by local governments. The means of broadening federal influence over coastal development are a series of provisions in the act. State and federal agencies produce relevant goods and services, such as water-oriented parks and recreation, harbor improvements, and marine rescue services.
