Updated 16 January 2009

Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region

Final Report, Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.1

See also press release from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (dtd 16 Jan 2009)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), collaborated on this report that discusses the impacts of sea-level rise on the physical characteristics of the coast, on coastal communities, and the habitats that depend on them. The report, Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region examines multiple opportunities for governments and coastal communities to plan for and adapt to rising sea levels.

CCSP, 2009: Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region. A report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. [James G. Titus(Coordinating Lead Author), Eric K. Anderson, Donald R. Cahoon, Stephen Gill, Robert E.Thieler, Jeffress S.Williams (Lead Authors] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington D.C., USA.

See also press release from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPA web-page. (posted 16 Jan 2009)

Final Report

Note: All links are to PDF files.

Entire Report

Download full report [784 pp, 7.5 MB]

Individual Sections

Front Matter [33 pp, 537 KB]

Part I: The Physical Environment [242 pp, 2.3 MB]

Part II: Societal Impacts and Implications [147 pp, 1.7 MB]

Part III: Preparing for Sea-Level Rise [111 pp, 1.8 MB]

Part IV: National Implications and a Science Strategy for Moving Forward [50 pp, 263 KB]

Appendix 1: State and Local Information on Vulnerable Species and Coastal Policies in the Mid-Atlantic [165 pp, 723 KB]

Appendix 2: Basic Approaches for Shoreline Change Projections [17 pp, 403 KB]

Back Matter (Glossary, Scientific Names, Acronyms and Abbreviations) [19 pp, 115 KB]

For further information regarding this Synthesis and Assessment Product, please contact Dr. Fabien Laurier at . Please include "SAPinfo" in the subject line.

This document, part of the Synthesis and Assessment Products described in the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Strategic Plan, was prepared in accordance with Section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law 106-554) and the information quality act guidelines issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pursuant to Section 515. The CCSP Interagency Committee relies on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certifications regarding compliance with Section 515 and EPA's guidelines as the basis for determining that this product conforms with Section 515. For purposes of compliance with Section 515, this CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Product is an “interpreted product” as that term is used in EPA's guidelines and is classified as “highly influential”. This document does not express any regulatory policies of the United States or any of its agencies, or provide recommendations for regulatory action.

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