The Environmental Tragedy of Coastal Erosion Essay -- Environment Ecol

The Environmental Tragedy of Coastal Erosion A rattling high percentage of the American population resides at or near one of the coasts. Preserving beaches is a very costly endeavor and there have been numerous debates over which way this country should go about doing so. On the east coast the current strategy is, beach nourishment programs, whereby sand is taken from on tap(predicate) sources and put back onto the eroded beach (Michaels, 01). In 1999 the United States government spent about $150 million on beach nourishment programs, demesne and local governments along with those who own their own beach property spend even more on such projects (Michaels, 01). Recently, however, the amount reserved for these projects in the interior(a) budget has been decreasing. The problem with the beach nourishment programs is that they are very short term and too costly, resulting in beaches which are still being eroded and a what seems to many, as a waste of taxpayer dollars . So we have a high demand for beach use and a low willing- ness to supply cash in hand to preserve the same beach. The forces of man and disposition have created a coastal erosion headache for millions of residents in the U.S. As is the case with many environmental problems, nature and man have combined forces to create a coastal erosion problem (Michaels, 01). Development along the coast line has contributed greatly to erosion and has make so in several different ways. Some property owners have totally demolished coastal dunes in an attempt to provide better views of the maritime for the properties they build, and along with that have also completely destroyed natural vegetation in order to construct jetties or other manmade devices to improve ocean advance for the... ...rk, May 24, 1999. Vol. 246, issue 21, pp.55.Issacs, Lindsay. Shoring up the nations coastline. The American City & County. Pittsfield, September 2000. Vol. 115, issue 13, pp.56- 61.Johnson, Dan. Beaches vs. Buildings. The Futurist. Washington, February 2000. Vol.34, issue 1, pp.8-9.Michaels, A. Patricia. Beach Erosion. http//envirionment.about.comRinehart, R. James, Pompe, J. Jeffery. Coastal development, environmental amenities, And market forces An application of economic theory. Southern Business Review. Statesboro, 2001. Vol.26, issue 2, pp.1-5.Ward, Christina. (Staff Writer) Coastal Erosion Could Take 1500 Homes a Year, FEMA Says. 2000. http//www.DisasterRelief.org. pp.1-5.Woodell, Gregory. Press Statement 2002. http//www.calcoast.org.