Battling for Our Coastal Economy

By James D. Watkins and Donald F. Boesch

06/09/2009

The War of 1812 was fought on several fronts, but battles along the Atlantic coast proved particularly treacherous and unrelenting. American soldiers knew that defending the coastline, the protective border to many strategic strongholds in the region, was key to winning the war. And they never gave up.

Today, a modern version of this historic battle is playing out in a regional effort to defend our coastline against another national threat - climate change. This battle is being waged under the leadership of Governors Martin O'Malley of Maryland, Timothy Kaine of Virginia, and Ruth Ann Minner of Delaware, among others. In fact, these governors, in partnership with the governors of New York and New Jersey, recently joined together to announce an unprecedented plan to manage and protect the Mid-Atlantic coast. Now, the time has come to take the fight once again to Washington D.C.

The health of our oceans and the economies of coastal communities are in jeopardy - threatened by sea level rise, increasing ocean acidification and more severe coastal storms. It is essential that the climate change strategy currently being discussed by Congress and the new administration address the potentially staggering impacts of these problems.

Having experienced an increase in sea level of more than one foot during the last century, the region continues to face a serious challenge as sea levels will continue to rise, inundating low-lying areas and infrastructure and increasing shoreline erosion. In addition, increasingly intense tropical storms may worsen sediment runoff. Together, the two sources of new sediment may plug shipping channels and threaten the ports of Baltimore, Wilmington and Hampton Roads, requiring additional dredging.

The water temperature along the Atlantic shore is also rising. Increasing water temperature stresses marine life such as striped bass, crabs, and oysters, while contributing to algal blooms and fish-killing dead zones. This stress comes on top of chronic pollution and habitat loss, further threatening the commercial fishing and crabbing industries that generate millions in annual revenue for the mid-Atlantic region and its residents.

The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, a national bipartisan organization championing ocean policy reform, recognizes the challenges facing coastal states, and recently released recommendations for the new administration and Congress. The report, "Changing Oceans, Changing World," calls on Congress and the administration to support regional approaches to enhancing ocean and coastal science, management and education.

An executive order or ocean policy act creating a framework to support regional collaboration would enable Delaware, Maryland and Virginia to better coordinate our efforts and make the best use of our collective resources.

The report also emphasizes the need to increase our understanding of the ocean's role in climate change, which we've seen impact our weather patterns, wildlife and plant species. To better understand this relationship, the Joint Commission recommends that the administration and Congress fund critical policies: ocean and coastal research, the implementation of a fully comprehensive monitoring and modeling system, and a federal Climate Services program to better manage climate-related risks and opportunities.

The report also calls for funding and legislation to understand the ocean's contributions to our economic and energy security. This is particularly relevant to the Mid-Atlantic states, as we rely heavily on our coastal economies. A failure to fully understand these relationships will have costly consequences for our communities.

Fortunately, with smart policies and partnerships such as the recent Mid-Atlantic governors' agreement, our leaders are moving toward alleviating these challenges and protecting our oceans. Atlantic coastal states also have respected congressional delegations, many of whom are well-positioned to influence climate change legislation and policy and the funding that will be dedicated to addressing it. We need to call upon them to lead the battle in Washington to take strong, decisive action to improve our understanding of the processes driving climate change, to mitigate its causes and to support programs that will assist businesses and coastal community efforts to adapt to the inevitable impacts.

Leaders from Mid-Atlantic states including Delaware, Maryland and Virginia need to push their colleagues on the Hill to move these policies forward. These actions, if taken, will go a long way towards supporting the Joint Initiative's broader goal of establishing a comprehensive national ocean policy aimed at protecting our economy and environment.

Americans have a well-deserved reputation as strong leaders when faced with difficult challenges. We certainly face one now. This challenge requires action immediately, not years from now when efforts will be more costly and less effective. And the resource we must draw upon is the same as it was in 1812 - a commitment to ensuring the long-term welfare of our nation and its citizens.