States / U.S. Virgin Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
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 and the Coral Reef Conservation Act, the federal programs designated for this task are the National Coastal Zone Management Program, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, and the Coral Reef Conservation Program. These 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
U.S. Virgin Islands Coastal Zone Management Program. Established in 1979, the lead agency is the Department of Planning and Natural Resources. The program operates under the authority of the U.S. Virgin Islands Coastal Zone Management Act. Covering the entire territory, the program aims to manage and safeguard coastal resources, mitigate conflicts between land and water uses, and promote environmental and economic sustainability for future generations. The territory’s Coral Reef Conservation Program is also housed here.
Impact Stories
Stories that showcase the recent work of this state's coastal management efforts.
- Combining Coral Restoration and Structural Augmentation for Coastal Resilience in St. Croix
- Climate Resilience and Risk Reduction in the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Designing Ridge to Reef Resilience in Coral Bay to Mitigate Flood Risk to Critical Assets
- Improving our Coasts with High-Resolution Land Cover Data
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