I just came across this exciting article on Grist — 5 new ways New York can deal with storm surges and rising seas — published on May 09, 2014 by Amber Cortes. It lists a few top projects submitted to Rebuild by Design competition, established by Hurricane Sandy Task Force and  U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Interestingly, in comments on  proposed Jersey Shore Makeover project, author suggests a LOW feasibility as “the hitch with this plan is that in order to restore some of these ecosystems, some people are going to have to get the hell out – the polite term is actually “managed retreat.” Administrations tend to view managed retreat as their last option, since they associate it with giving up. And, asking people to give up their beachfront properties even in the face of more storms will be difficult, if not impossible.”

This April, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy published a Policy Focus Report, authored by Robert Pirani and Laura Tolkoff, on Lessons from Sandy: Federal Policies to Build Climate Resilient Coastal Regions. The report offers specific policy recommendations to federal agencies on how to optimally support  adaptation and resilience-building efforts of coastal communities and regions. The key proposed measures include:

• Reflecting anticipated climate change impacts in recovery/rebuilding decisions;
• Coordinating efforts for restoration and maintenance of healthy coastal resources;
• Supporting sustainable urban patterns; and
• Developing and disseminating relevant information.

This past December (11-12, 2013) I had an opportunity to attend the Congress on Coastal Resilience and Risk organized by Renewable Natural Resources Foundation in the new NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction, College Park, Maryland. The purpose of this meeting was to facilitate  dialogue on the future of   U.S. coasts, as well as discuss what is needed to successfully implement mitigation and adaptation strategies to protect coastal communities. The report is available at: Report on Coastal Resilience and Risk