HD58 - The Commonwealth's Tidal Shoreline Erosion Control Policy
Executive Summary: The 1987 Session of the General Assembly established a joint subcommittee to study the shoreline erosion policies of the Commonwealth (HJR 46). The subcommittee was charged with reviewing Virginia's current shoreline erosion control program and determining the appropriate balance between the rights of property owners and the stewardship responsibilities of the state. The subcommittee devoted a substantial amount of time during its first year reviewing the current shoreline control policies and programs of Virginia as well as other coastal states such as Maryland, North Carolina and Florida. Testimony received from a wide range of interested parties, including state officials with responsibilities for managing shoreline areas, scientists, and residents, documented the extent of shoreline erosion control problems. During its first year the subcommittee recognized the role that sand replenishment efforts play as one element or strategy in comprehensive shoreline management programs which the state might undertake. Therefore, the subcommittee recommended that a statute be enacted giving the beaches of the Commonwealth priority as sites for the disposal of dredged material and authorizing the Secretary of Natural Resources to determine what portion of the dredged material would be suitable for beach nourishment. This legislation was passed by the 1987 Session of the General Assembly. The subcommittee continued its work during 1987, pursuant to House Joint Resolution 226. It sought to identify those elements which are essential in the formulation of an effective shoreline management policy. Scientists and legal experts from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) provided testimony which described (a) the natural processes which shape Virginia's shoreline and (b) problems inherent in the current management program and how they might be resolved. It was clear to the subcommittee that before instituting any comprehensive shoreline management scheme several issues would have to be resolved. In order to be able to manage its shoreline the Commonwealth first had to know the resource it was proposing to manage. Therefore, the subcommittee recommended that the Commonwealth develop a comprehensive coastal inventory which would identify environmentally sensitive zones for future management considerations as well as document the legal ownership status of Virginia's shoreline. To provide more consistency in the current application of regulatory authority the subcommittee also recommended legislation to amend the Coastal Primary Sand Dune Protection Act. |
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