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Coastal mano.gement in the United States is shaped by lilt federal Coastal Zone Mano.gernenl Act rf 1972 and the Coastal Ba"~r Rcsourus Act rf 1982. Tilt former au.tfwr- ized ftderal granls to states jJr dtveloprnent and implemrn- tation rf coastal marwgrrnent programs fir water and kind reJources in coastal zones. As amended, the Act incor- porates both. flood loss redw:lion and protection rf natural resources illw program goals. The kilter legisiation estab- lished a syStfm if kirgd)' undeveloped coastal barriffs along the Atkintic and Gulf coasls in which federal!;' sv.b- szdized du'eloprnent is restricted. SaM dunes. Santa Rosa Island. Florida. - 26 Two major pieces of legislation rounded out the change in federal policy. In 1969 the National Environmental Policy Act provided for consideration of environmental values in all federal and federally supported actions, making it possible to recognize the multiple values of floodplains. The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 made federally subsidized flood insurance available to participating communities, contingent upon their implementing nonstructural flood loss reduction measures embodied in local floodplain management regulations. 1970,: The Environmental Decade During the 1970s numerous state and federal environmental laws and programs and water resources initiatives began to decentralize water manage. ment and bring about a much broader perspective on floodplains. Numerous federal programs took shape for water quality management, pollution and erosion control, watershed management, and protection of groundwater, aquifers, inland and coastal wetlands, barrier islands, and specific habitats. Complementary legislation was passed by many states, requiring environ- mental quality review and impact assessments at state and local levels. During this decade, changes were made in the National Flood Insurance Program; a proposal for a Unified National Program for Floodplain !\.1anage- ment was issued and later updated; and executive orders on floodplain man- agement and protection of wetlands were issued, making disaster relief contin- gent upon mitigation action and requiring the consideration of nonstructural measures in federal flood control projects. State and local involvement in floodplain management increased ",.ith the appointment of National flood Insurance Program coordinators in all states, the adoption by more states of regulatory programs, increases in state budgets for floodplain management, and the adoption of resource conservation legisla- tion. About 17,000 communities adopted floodplain management regulations, and many adopted regulations to manage other local resources, such as wet. lands and coastal areas. 1980,: Continuing Evolution More attention was given to implementing policies and programs for managing floodplains during the 1980s. The federal government took the role of coordinator and provider of technical assistance, ,....hile state and local gov~ ernments gradually fashioned floodplain management strategies appropriate to their own jurisdictions. Interagency agreements were crafted to establish common policy on nonstructural measures and to evaluate floodplain manage- ment options after disasters. The Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982 estab- lished a policy of nondevelopment and avoidance of high hazard areas by pro- hibiting new federal expenditures on certain undeveloped coastal barriers. The natural and cultural resources of floodplains received more protec- tion through multipurpose, often federally supported projects for open space, recreation, urban renewal, greenbelt, and waterfront redevelopment. State and local officials became even more involved in hazard mitiga- tion planning with the im plementation of requirements for planning after all Presidentially declared disasters and with participation in interagency hazard mitigation teams. The Management Framework Like any activity, floodplain management is carried out within a structure of legislative, administrative, economic, and judicial opportunities and con- straints. The way in which floodplain lands and waters are handled, decisions are made and actions taken-whether by the U.S. Congress or by a single homeowner in a floodprone area-depends upon the relevant law, the policies and programs of govemment agencies, funding, public interest and opinion, and the availability of needed information. The framework for floodplain management has been strengthened significantly since the 1960s. Before then, flood loss reduction was largely dependent upon flood control works and fed- eral actions; at the same time, a number of single.purpose federal laws and programs protected various natural resources, only indirectly addressing pro~