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Coastal Management Program

Program Over​view

The Illinois Coastal Management Program (CMP) is a non-regulatory division of IDNR that is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the environmental, economic, and social value of Illinois’ Great Lakes Coastal Region. Our program fosters healthy ecosystems and resilient communities by providing expertise, funding, and other resources.

The CMP was created in 2012 under the authority of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and is part of a nationwide network of 34 state and territory coastal programs funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). CMP is also funded by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to implement the objectives of the GLRI Action Plan.

Since its inception, the CMP has completed dozens of valuable projects in all areas of progressive coastal management through its committed team of scientists, communicators, and other coastal professionals.

Goals

The CMP has identified four priority goal areas with a collection of selected strategies to advance coastal management in Illinois.

  1. Habitats and Species: Protect and improve coastal habitats for the species that use them, with a focus on species and areas identified as priorities. 
  2. Economic Development and Recreation: Support and facilitate resource-related coastal economic development; including recreation, public access, and cultural and resource-based tourism.
  3. Coastal Communities: Help coastal communities improve their capacity to protect natural, cultural, and economic resources. Foster coordination and collaboration among communities to achieve shared goals.
  4. Program Development: Improve, refine and administer the Coastal Management Program to provide the most effective and responsive implementation of coastal resource management.


Program Reference Documents and Boundaries