We did it! Thanks to your advocacy and support, on December 5th, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) adopted a groundbreaking Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP). This monumental achievement is a transformative step toward protecting Bay ecosystems and communities in the face of sea level rise.

The RSAP lays out a bold, comprehensive response to this urgent challenge, setting mandatory regional criteria and standards to ensure collective progress and embed environmental justice and Bay ecosystem health into every part of the sea level planning process. By 2034, all Bay shoreline jurisdictions must comply with the RSAP guidelines to gain approval from BCDC and be prioritized to receive State funding. 

Join us in thanking the Commissioners! Suggested language below.

Facing opposition and complex competing priorities, your participation was critical to advancing last minute amendments and securing a sustainable, equitable and actionable RSAP for all shoreline jurisdictions to follow. 

Together, we submitted:

• 400+ letters (90 percent of comments received!)
• 650+ petition signatures 
• Joint statement by 40+ nonprofit and community-based organizations 
• Passionate public comments 

We’ve come a long way from early drafts of the RSAP that valued the Bay primarily for its aesthetics! Now, thanks to grassroots advocacy and BCDC’s leadership, we have a strong, holistic foundation for a coordinated response to sea level rise—one that prioritizes the health of the Bay, supports vulnerable communities, and ensures that one jurisdiction’s resilience doesn’t come at the expense of another’s.

In the adopted RSAP, we finally have:

• Strong recognition that Bay habitats are essential to protecting us from climate change, and mandatory minimum standards to hold local plans accountable for contributing to Bay ecosystem health and longevity.
• A coordinated, region-wide roadmap with requirements to ensure local actions don’t harm other communities or shared regional assets.
• Required equity assessments to make sure that underrecognized, frontline communities are meaningfully represented in sea level rise planning, every step of the way.
• A requirement that all local sea level rise plans address and reduce contamination threats on their shoreline and prioritize cleanup of toxic sites in environmental justice communities.  

Please join us in thanking the BCDC Commission for supporting amendments to strengthen the plan and for their vision, outreach, and responsiveness. Their regional leadership, strengthened by your active engagement, made this landmark plan possible.

The Work Isn’t Over Yet

While the RSAP is a critical victory, our work does not end here. As local jurisdictions translate the RSAP into local plans and projects —  your local oversight and advocacy will be more important than ever. Stay tuned for opportunities to help ensure the promise RSAP is carried out in your local communities! 

Together, we can make sure this plan manifests into sustainable, lasting change.

Thank you for being part of this historic achievement!