No Adverse Impact (NAI)

No Adverse Impact (NAI) is a forward-thinking, fair, and legally defensible approach to coastal land management. It was first articulated by the Association of State Floodplain Managers. In its broadest sense, it is a set of "do no harm" principles that communities can use when planning, designing, and evaluating public and private projects. By following the NAI approach, communities can protect people, property, and municipal budgets.

• For more on NAI in Massachusetts, see StormSmart Coasts Fact Sheet 1, Introduction to No Adverse Impact (NAI) Land Management in the Coastal Zone (PDF, 3.85 MB).
• For an example of an NAI-type bylaw at work in a Massachusetts coastal community, see StormSmart Coasts Fact Sheet 3, A Cape Cod Community Prevents New Residences in Floodplains (PDF, 5.75 MB).
• For general information on No Adverse Impact, see the Association of State Floodplain Managers website.

Following are some NAI-level actions your community can take:

• Planning
• Creating a multi-objective management plan
• Regulation and Development Standards
• Passing strict zoning ordinances and regulations
• Considering potential future conditions when siting new development
• Keeping public infrastructure outside of hazard-prone areas
• Creating permanent no-build areas
• Using freeboard to elevate structures above predicted floodwaters
• Conducting inspections of lower-area enclosures
• Mitigation and Shore Protection
• Using non-structural shore protection
• Relocating existing structures
• Acquiring existing structures
• Using freeboard to elevate structures above predicted floodwaters
• Infrastructure
• Protecting critical access routes
• Keeping roads and utilities out of damage-prone areas
• Siting critical facilities out of harm's way
• Emergency Services
• Creating a post-disaster recovery plan
• Assessing damage to buildings
• Education and Outreach
• Hazard training for local officials