State of the Beach/State Reports/AK/Beach Description

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Alaska Ratings
Indicator Type Information Status
Beach Access55
Water Quality23∗
Beach Erosion3-
Erosion Response-4
Beach Fill5-
Shoreline Structures3 5
Beach Ecology1-
Surfing Areas28
Website1∗∗-
Coastal Development{{{19}}}{{{20}}}
Sea Level Rise{{{21}}}{{{22}}}
Special comments:

∗Since the water quality monitoring program in Alaska only exists on a limited basis, the recreational water quality is largely unknown. Only 117 samples were tested for the state in 2013.

∗∗The Alaska Coastal Management Program (ACMP) is scheduled to sunset at 12:01 AM, Alaska Standard Time, on July 1, 2011 per AS 44.66.030. The Legislature adjourned the special legislative session May 14, 2011 without passing legislation required to extend the Alaska Coastal Management Program (ACMP). This webpage will be viewable for reference purposes through June 30, 2012. It will then be archived within the Department of Natural Resources. Beginning on July 1, 2011 the website will remain static and there will be no further updates to the content of the former ACMP website. If you have any questions, please contact the DNR’s Commissioner’s Office at 907-269-8400.


Description

Alaska is bounded by two oceans and two seas. Glaciers have carved many large islands from the mainland and retreated to uncover a shoreline with abundant narrow fjords and craggy headlands. Volcanic activity has formed numerous islands. As a result of its varied coastline and its vast extent, the marine shoreline of Alaska measures 44,500 miles (note: the original ACMP document identified the coastal shoreline mileage as 33,904 miles, however, recent Alaska coastline GIS surveys indicates the higher number). The State has a three-tiered coastal zone based on the proximity to the land-sea interface.

The ice-stressed coastal ecosystems of Alaska are unique in the United States, although its diverse coastline includes every ecosystem found in the contiguous states except tropical. Alaska’s fertile continental shelf totals 830,000 square miles, or 74 percent of the nation’s total. Many species of migratory fish, birds, and marine mammals use the islands, estuaries and coastal streams and ponds for breeding, spawning, birthing and resting. Some of the world’s richest commercial fish stocks are found along Alaska’s continental shelf. The unique biophysical character of Alaska’s coastal zone is of national and international scientific and economic value. Its potential oil and gas reserves are among the largest in the world. Nearly all of the minerals classified as strategic by the Federal government, ranging from antimony to zinc, are found in Alaska.

The diverse, and sometimes conflicting, uses of Alaska’s coastal zone present numerous opportunities to balance preservation, conservation, and development of the many coastal resources for future recreation, education, scientific study, conservation, fishing, subsistence use, and oil and gas, mineral, and timber extraction.



Contact Info for the Lead Coastal Zone Management Agency

Randy Bates

Director, Division of Coastal and Ocean Management (DCOM)
Alaska Department of Natural Resources
Phone: 907-465-8797
302 Gold Street, Suite 202
P.O. Box 111030
Juneau, AK 99811-1030
Mail Stop: 1030
General Phone: (907) 465-3562
Fax: (907) 465-3075
Email: randy.bates@alaska.gov

Ed Fogels, Director
Office of Project Management and Permitting (OPMP)
Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources
550 W. 7th. Ave., Suite 705
Anchorage, AK 99501-3559
Phone: 907-269-8431
General Phone: 907-269-7470
Fax: 907-269-3981

Joint Pipeline Office

Mailing/Physical:
411 W 47th Ave, Ste 2C
Anchorage, AK 99201


Coastal Zone Management Program

IMPORTANT UPDATE - An agreement to continue the Alaska Coastal Zone Management Program could not be reached during a Special Session in 2011 as the measure failed by one vote in the House before adjournment. As a result, the program ended on June 30, 2011, and the state therefore lost the ability to have local input to the Federal government in important decisions on coastal development projects. Adding to the bad news, a ballot measure to reestablish the Alaska Coastal Program (Prop 2) failed to garner enough votes for passage in Alaska's Primary Election in August 2012.

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources formerly oversaw the Alaska Coastal Management Program (ACMP). The primary authority for the Coastal Program is the Coastal Management Act of 1977. Alaska has a three-tiered coastal zone based on the proximity to the land-sea interface. Local coastal programs may also establish more specific boundaries. ACMP's Website has Coastal Boundary Maps in JPEG and PDF format. While the Coastal Program was originally established under the Coastal Management Act of 1977, between 2003 and 2005 Alaska adopted, and OCRM approved, enforceable policies for the Coastal Program that have significantly changed statewide coastal standards and the role of local district governments in the Coastal Program.

Alaska's coastal zone is home to many important industries, including seafood processing, oil and gas development, mining, and timber harvesting. Its potential oil and gas reserves are among the largest in the world. Nearly all of the minerals classified as strategic by the federal government are found in Alaska. The coast also supports a rich cultural heritage with its many Native Alaskan tribes who rely on the state's natural resources for subsistence living. The long-term prosperity of these coastal cultures depends upon a healthy environment. The Coastal Program seeks to strike a balance while sustaining the economic, ecological, and cultural value of Alaska's coastal areas.

The Office of Project Management and Permitting (OPMP), formerly known as the Division of Governmental Coordination (DGC), is located in the Department of Natural Resources. OPMP is the lead agency for coordinating the Alaska Coastal Management Program (ACMP) and serves as staff to the Coastal Policy Council charged with guiding the direction of the ACMP. OPMP is the lead agency for state participation in implementation of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). OPMP is coordinating the Coastal Impact Assistance Program and when needed, coordinates the State's position on special resource management issues.

In December 2007 the Department of Natural Resources recognized the need to create two offices in addressing the workloads and complexities of both the Alaska Coastal Management Program (ACMP) and the Large Project Management team. Therefore, the Division of Coastal and Ocean Management (DCOM) was created while retaining the Office of Project Management and Permitting (OPMP). The intent is to focus resources on the numerous and complex issues, such as climate change, ocean health and responsible resource development facing the department. The Alaska Coastal Management Program functions that were formerly under OPMP are now housed in the new Division of Coastal and Ocean Management (DCOM) with Mr. Randy Bates as Director. The OPMP will retain the Large Project Management team and ANILCA functions.

DCOM is the lead agency for coordinating and guiding the direction of the ACMP. DCOM is coordinating the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) and when needed, coordinates the State's position on special resource management issues.

Due to Alaska's immense size, much of the authority to carry out CZMA programs is delegated to coastal districts.

In Alaska, the Alaska Coastal Management Act [AS 46.40.210(2)] allows for the formation of coastal districts in areas that contain a portion of Alaska's coastal area. Coastal districts can be formed either by local governments or, in areas outside the boundaries of local governments, by coastal resource service areas (CRSAs).

Within organized cities or boroughs, coastal management is the responsibility of the city council or borough assembly. Local officials usually integrate coastal management with other planning authorities and may implement it through land use regulations and other local planning techniques.

CRSAs give people living in rural Alaska the opportunity to affect the management of their coastal resources. However, the coastal management programs of CRSAs can only be implemented through participation in the State consistency review process.

Participation in Alaska's coastal management program is voluntary. Coastal districts are offered powerful incentives to gain their participation. Incentives include the ability to formally participate in the state review of coastal development projects, and eligibility for federal funds that support coastal program activities.

Prior to the 2005 ACMP program changes, 33 coastal districts participated in the program to varying degrees, which meant they had district plans with their own enforceable policies that had to be considered in state permitting decisions. As part of the 2005 program changes, the State developed new guidance for local districts that want to participate in the ACMP. Previously, the districts were able to write district policies regarding a use or resource anywhere in their districts regardless of whether or how the subjected use or resource was addressed by another State or federal law. The 2005 ACMP regulations require that district enforceable policies: must relate to the uses and practices identified in the new ACMP regulations; may not address any matters regulated by DEC (i.e. air, land, and water); may not adopt, duplicate, repeat, restate, or incorporate by reference a State standard or other State or federal law; must be clear and concise as to the activities and persons affected by its requirements, and use precise, prescriptive and enforceable language.

Five of the 33 districts formally dropped out of the program when the new state standards and guidelines were implemented. At the time of the 312 evaluation in 2007, 14 of the remaining 28 districts had plans that were completed and adopted by the state (Aleutians West CRSA, City of Bethel, Bristol Bay Borough, City of Craig, Haines Borough, City of Hoonah, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, City of Nome, City of Pelican, City and Borough of Sitka, City of Skagway, City of Thorne Bay, City and Borough of Yakutat, and City of Valdez). Fourteen other districts’ coastal management plans were in various stages of completion, including: Aleutians East Borough, the Municipality of Anchorage, Bering Straits CRSA, Bristol Bay CRSA, Cenaliulriit CRSA, City of Cordova, City and Borough of Juneau, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Kodiak Island Borough, Lake and Peninsula Borough, Northwest Arctic Borough, North Slope Borough, and City of Whittier. Five district plans have been/are in mediation due to disagreement between the district and the DNR on issues such as the designation of significant habitat areas and subsistence areas. The legislature’s extended deadline for state approval of the district plans was September 1, 2007. As of early 2008, three district plans were in mediation, one was in review with the ACMP, and the rest were either awaiting NOAA approval or local adoption.

Currently, 18 of 35 Alaska coastal districts have approved coastal management plans in place, with 10 others working towards approval.

A significant reorganization occurred in April 2003 when Executive Order 106 (EO 106), signed by former Governor Murkowski, moved the coastal management program and its staff from the Division of Governmental Coordination within the Office of the Governor to the Office of Project Management and Permitting, Alaska Coastal Management Program (OPMP/ACMP) within the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In addition to the move, EO 106 also eliminated the Coastal Policy Council and placed the program's oversight and administration under DNR's Commissioner Tom Irwin and OPMP's Director Bill Jeffress.

While the basic intent and purpose of the ACMP remains generally the same, even with the changes resulting from EO 106, the structure and process to implement the program changed as a result of House Bill 191, signed into law on May 21, 2003.

"The goal of HB 191 is to create a new coastal management program that retains the benefits of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, but eliminates the complexity and duplication built into the current ACMP," Governor Frank Murkowski said in a May 2003 press release. "This move will provide certainty and predictability to the process by clarifying standards and responsibilities for program implementation."


This change likely represented the biggest adjustment the ACMP has experienced in its 25-year existence. OPMP Director Bill Jeffress believes that changes to ACMP will improve the program, its implementation, and its success. OPMP staff immediately began working on numerous changes to the program. Collectively, these changes alter every aspect of the program, its implementation, and its delivery to its participants. They also represent the most comprehensive change to the program in its history, and to any of the 33 participating state's coastal management program in the history of the federal coastal zone management program.

As the first visible step in developing the required changes to the program, Bates released a memo to all ACMP participants establishing "guidance rules" for implementing the ACMP until the regulation revisions can be completed. This guidance, in addition to providing immediate answers on implementing the legislation, will serve as a starting point for developing the changes to the program regulations at 6 AAC 50, 6 AAC 80, and 6 AAC 85. In general, there are four program change milestones, as follows:

  • Issuance of the "guidance rules" to provide a bridge between HB 191 legislation and the consistency review regulations at 6 AAC 50. This guidance was issued in October 2003.
  • Revision of coastal management regulations, with a deadline for these revisions of July 1, 2004. ACMP hired a contractor to develop the regulations revisions. The draft regulations were required to be ready and available for public review and comment in January 2004.
  • The existing district coastal management plans were required to be amended and submitted to DNR for approval by July 1, 2005. The ACMP staff are working with the districts to explain the criteria needed to successfully amend the district plans.
  • By July 1, 2006, all district plan amendments were required to be complete and approved by DNR, if appropriate.


On January 12, 2007, Senator Olson pre-filed Senate Bill (SB) 46 - "An Act relating to the Alaska coastal management program; providing for an effective date by amending the effective date of sec. 45, ch. 24, SLA 2003, as amended by sec. 21, ch. 31, SLA 2005; and providing for an effective date." In essence, SB 46, did the following:

  • Added a requirement that DEC provide a notice and comment period after the agency makes a determination as to whether the proposed project is consistent with DEC's regulations. This pertains to AS 46.40.040(b)(2), regarding the application of DEC regulations to activities that do not require a DEC authorization.
  • Extend the sunset date for coastal district management plan amendments by 6 months (from March 1, 2007 until September 1, 2007).
  • Extend the time frame in which OPMP must complete the review and update of categorically and generally consistent determinations (i.e., the "ABC List") by 6 months (from December 29, 2007 until June 29, 2008).


Critical program information products are being posted on the ACMP Website as they become available.

The Alaska Coastal Management Program Working Group (ACMPWG) is composed of four regional coastal district representatives, DCOM staff, two Office of Project Management & Permitting staff, and the ACMP coordinator for each of the state agencies in the ACMP network: Department of Fish and Game, Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Community and Economic Development, Department of Transportation and Department of Law.

Since some uncertainty existed regarding the continued need for an ACMPWG given recent organizational changes, the ACMPWG met in June 2003 to discuss future direction. The ACMPWP recommended that the group continue to function in its advisory capacity to assist OPMP in accomplishing the priority tasks identified for FY04-06. The ACMP working group will have a continuing role to ensure consistent and effective implementation of the ACMP. The ACMP working group members assert that continuous and effective communication and training are the most critical needs of the agencies to implement the ACMP. Coastal District representatives feel that their participation on the ACMP working group is even more important now that the Coastal Policy Council is eliminated. They bring the local perspective to the table and provide feedback on how the ACMP is working at the local level. However, they do not have the resources or financial support to communicate with the districts in the regions they represent, or to represent their regions consensus position on issues. The ACMP working group recommends that OPMP serve as the communication conduit to the coastal districts using e-mail, the ACMP Website, and written documents. Coastal districts do have the responsibility of communicating their issues/concerns to their working group representative so it can be brought to the ACMP working group table.

The "Current News" section at http://www.alaskacoast.state.ak.us/ has updates on the progress of program changes and approvals. Included here are OCRM-approved changes to the ACMP, ACMP address changes, and information on a comprehensive revision to the ABC List. The “A” list activities have been determined to have a “de minimis” impact on coastal uses or resources and are categorically consistent with the ACMP. The “B” list activities have impacts on coastal uses or resources and are generally consistent with the ACMP by the application of standard alternative measures. The “C” list is an inclusive list of state resource agency authorizations that authorize activities that may have a reasonable foreseeable direct or indirect effect on coastal uses or resources. If an activity in the coastal zone requires a state resource agency authorization listed on the C list, the activity is subject to an individual consistency review unless it is otherwise excluded by certain state provisions.

NOAA's latest evaluation of Alaska's Coastal Management Program can be found here.

The highest priority categories identified for Alaska in the 2011 309 Assessment and Strategy are coastal hazards, cumulative and secondary impacts, ocean resources, wetlands, and marine debris.

Footnotes

  1. Bernd-Cohen, T. and M. Gordon. "State Coastal Program Effectiveness in Protecting Natural Beaches, Dunes, Bluffs, and Rock Shores." Coastal Management 27:187-217. 1999.
  2. Bernd-Cohen, T. and M. Gordon. "State Coastal Program Effectiveness in Protecting Natural Beaches, Dunes, Bluffs, and Rock Shores." Coastal Management 27:187-217. 1999.


State of the Beach Report: Alaska
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