The Wetlands and Waterways Program convened an Advisory Group which met in 2014 and 2015 to develop regulations for Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage (LSCSF). To date the Wetlands Protection Act regulations have lacked performance standards within this coastal resource area, leading to confusion about how to adequately protect these resources. Standards are needed to preserve the characteristics of the landforms of the floodplain (e.g. slope, vegetative cover, permeability etc.) to protect the interests of storm damage prevention and flood control. The current understanding of an increase in the rate of sea-level rise and the effects of climate change have expanded the need for the development and adoption of LSCSF standards.
MassDEP, Coastal Zone Management and the Department of Conservation and Recreation continued to work on related issues including the research and development of draft regulations, and the publication of updated FEMA maps. The Advisory Group has been reconstituted with some new members to replace members who retired or were no longer available to participate, and commenced meeting on June 15, 2018. Relevant materials will be regularly posted to the MassDEP website.
Meeting Schedule and Materials
Invitation to Join Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage Advisory Group, February 2014
Meeting of August 5, 2014:
LSCSF Advisory Group Meeting Minutes, August 5, 2014
Meeting of May 22, 2014:
LSCSF Presentation: "Maintaining Coastal Infrastructure in Massachusetts: Approaches for Shoreline Management"
LSCSF Presentation: "Coastal Shoreline Stabilization"
LSCSF Presentation: "Plant-Focused Bioengineering Techniques in Dynamic Coastal Wetlands"
Meeting of April 30, 2014:
Agenda: Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage Advisory Group - Meeting One
Minutes of April 30, 2014 LSCSF Advisory Group
Resumption of Advisory Group, June 2018:
Invitation to Join Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage Advisory Group, April 2018
Membership of 2018 LSCSF Technical Advisory Group
Meeting of January 9, 2024:
Presentation - Proposed Updates to the Massachusets Wetland Act Coastal Regulations
Relevant Documents
Recommendations for Performance Standards for Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage
Coastal Floodplain Task Force Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage Recommendations
Collection of Municipal Bylaws Regulating LSCSF
Presentation on Current Impacts to Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage
Presentation on Future Impacts to Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage
NAIOP Climate Change Preparedness: Guiding Principles for the Commercial Real Estate Industry