Findings

Hidden Information

FINDING: Very little information is easily accessible and "user friendly".

Substantial technical and scientific data for specific beach sites around the nation is contained in academic journals or studies that line the bookshelves of coastal zone management offices. This information may help professionals make policy decisions. However, it is often not made available to the public or it is not written in a way that is easily understood by the average citizen. The lack of efforts by government and the scientific community to educate the public about coastal environmental issues is alarming. It leaves the public without an adequate understanding of how government policies and decisions affect beach health and severely limits their ability to participate in the decision-making process. Surfrider does note that more of this type of information is gradually becoming available online via state CZM websites and that some of the technical information is being distilled into "Citizen Guides" on such topics as beach access, pollution prevention and coastal hazards.