Washington CZM 309 Improvement Grants Program

The Federal Improvement Grants Program

The federal Coastal Zone Management Act (Section 309) provides special funding to assist states enrolled in the national CZM Program to make “Improvements” to their federally-approved state CZM Programs. In doing so, Congress placed certain requirements on this program:

• "Improvements" are defined by Congress as being "new or amended laws, regulations, or enforceable policies" – the grant funds may not be used to implement existing laws or regulations, or to fund existing initiatives.
• Congress defined nine specified Improvement Areas in which it desired the states to make “improvements:” public access to the coast; addressing coastal hazards; protecting ocean resources; protecting coastal wetlands; addressing the cumulative and secondary impacts of growth in the coastal zone; addressing marine debris problems; development of special area management plans; the siting of energy and government facilities; and management of marine aquaculture (added in 1996).
• Congress requires the states to periodically assess the status of the nine improvements areas, identify one or two or three as high priority for improvement, and propose strategies for achieving those improvements. These Assessment and Strategy documents are subject to public review and comment, and to federal approval. The first assessment was completed in 1992. Every five or so years the states are required to update their assessments and strategies. During 2005-06 the states are developing their fourth Assessment and Strategy.

Washington State’s Improvement Grants Program

Since the federal Improvements Grants Program was begun in 1991, Washington State has worked in three of the nine allowable improvement areas, but has focused on the "cumulative and secondary impacts of coastal growth and development." In each assessment, the states must rank each of the improvement areas as being high, medium, or low priority for action. Usually, only one or two "high" priorities are accepted by the federal Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.

To access Washington State’s four Assessment and Strategy reports, follow these links:

• First Assessment & Strategy
• Second Assessment & Strategy
• Third Assessment & Strategy
• Fourth Assessment & Strategy

To ask a question about Washington’s Coastal Zone Management Program, send an email to Brian Lynn