APA Continues to Support Digital Coast Legislation

APA continues to support legislation to protect shoreline communities. Bipartisan Congressional support for reauthorizing NOAA's Digital Coast Program demonstrates the broad support for a proven program.

Bipartisan Bill Supports Coastal Planning

The Digital Coast Act was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and on the House side by Rep. Dave Min (D-CA-47) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA-1).

The Digital Coast Program is a collaborative online database of the most up-to-date coastal information. It provides tools for coastal communities to decipher and use the high-tech mapping data to make accurate decisions and smart investments in their communities. APA has been a Digital Coast partner for nearly two decades.

APA President Sue Schwartz, FAICP, championed Digital Coast for helping communities make better decisions and providing planners with critical data to shape insights. She called Digital Coast a "vital resource for protecting and planning our communities."

Nearly a decade ago, Sen. Baldwin shared with APA members the importance of the Digital Coast Program and its bipartisan legislative support.

Partnerships Empower Planners

Through APA's partnership with Digital Coast, APA has developed or contributed to several resources to help empower planners and coastal communities. It has also allowed APA to forge several ongoing partnerships with several organizations, including the Association of State Floodplain Managers, The Nature Conservancy, the Urban Land Institute, and the Coastal States Organization.

Top image: Detroit aerial view at sunset. Credit: E+ pawel.gual