Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Program

Program Overview

The Massachusetts Coastal Management Program was approved by NOAA in 1978 and is administered by the Office of Coastal Zone Management within the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and serves as the lead for coastal policy and technical assistance in the state. The Executive Office of Environmental Affairs enforces 20 program policies and nine management principles governing activities within the coastal zone.

The Massachusetts coastal zone roughly includes all land within a half-mile of coastal waters and salt marshes, as well as all islands.