States / Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Coastal Management
The focus is on managing coastal areas to increase resilience, with an emphasis on balancing environmental, economic, and human wellbeing. Mandated by the Coastal Zone Management Act, the two federal programs designed for this task are the National Coastal Zone Management Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. Programs are administered, on the federal side, by NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, in partnership with the coastal states.
State Programs
Coastal Zone Management
Pennsylvania Coastal Resources Management Program. Established in 1980, the program, which is administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, comprises two widely separated coastal areas: the 63-mile Lake Erie shoreline and the 57-mile stretch of coastline along the Delaware estuary. Presque Isle State Park, Pennsylvania’s only “seashore,” is an international shipping hub with an unique maritime history in the City of Erie that is enjoying an economic and cultural renaissance. At the opposite end of the state, the Delaware estuary has transformed from its industrial past into a showcase for urban trails and the world’s largest freshwater port on the longest undammed river system on the Atlantic Coast.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. This initiative accelerates efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world—the Great Lakes. Built upon the foundation of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, this multi-agency initiative has provided funding to 16 federal organizations since 2010. The goal is to strategically target the biggest threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem and to accelerate progress toward achieving the organization’s long-term goals. See examples of NOAA products funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Impact Stories
Stories that showcase the recent work of this state's coastal management efforts.
Additional Resources
*Fast Fact Sources:
People: American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates
Beaches and Estuaries: Shoreline Mileage of the United States
Employment and Economy:
Marine Economy for the Coastal U.S. States
Marine Economy for the U.S. Territories