In 1982, the US Congress passed the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to safeguard undeveloped coastal areas by barring federal funding that could spur further development, including infrastructure grants and subsidized flood insurance.
The law aimed to protect these regions from extreme weather, lower taxpayer costs, and maintain property values. A new study published in Nature Climate Change confirms the Act’s success in meeting these objectives.
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The study reveals that over 40 years after the Coastal Barrier Resources Act was enacted, designated areas have development densities 83% lower than similar lands outside the program.
In contrast, neighbouring areas saw 37% higher development densities, indicating that the policy successfully directed development away from high-risk zones.
Lead author Hannah Druckenmiller, an environmental economist at the California Institute of Technology and a fellow at Resources for the Future, a research nonprofit, suggests that the findings offer a model for managing at-risk regions elsewhere in the country.
“We continue to see large increases in development in floodplains, including both coastal areas and inland floodplains. And we continue to see lots of development in wildfire-prone areas,” said Druckenmiller.
“Those are two locations in the US where we could actually implement similar policies when we consider how to preempt development.”
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Additionally, the study found that property values in nearby areas were relatively high, likely due to the flood protection provided by the designated lands. It also noted significant savings for the National Flood Insurance Program due to reduced flood damages.
