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In follow up to last week’s election, ASBPA President, Anthony P. Pratt, and Executive Director, Derek Brockbank, issued the following statement:
With the U.S. election behind us and looking ahead to 2017, ASBPA anticipates some major changes with the new administration, and will try to prepare for possible fundamental changes to the way federal agencies operate. The make-up of Congress may not have changed significantly, but we have lost some of our best coastal leadership. Coastal Communities Caucus co-chairs (and de facto leads) Reps. Dave Jolly and Patrick Murphy from Florida both lost; and key committee ranking members (and 2016 ASBPA Coastal award winners) Sens. Barbara Mikulski (MD) and Barbara Boxer (CA) both retired.
However, this election does not change who ASBPA is or what we do. ASBPA is, and has always been, non-partisan. For 90 years, we’ve prided ourselves in working effectively with coastal decision-makers of all stripes, and we will continue to do so in 2017 and for the next 90 years. ASBPA will continue to:
- support science-based coastal management and restoration, including addressing coastal impacts of sea level rise and climate change;
- advocate for a strong federal role in coastal management and federal funding for coastal research and restoration;
- educate and develop new leaders and coastal champions in Congress and the administration.
This year’s Coastal Summit theme is “A New Commitment to Our Coast,” which is exactly what we need. It will take all the power of ASBPA and our many coastal partners and allies, to ensure the new administration and new members of Congress are committing to healthy coastlines over the coming years.
Finally, ASBPA decided months ago that pushing for greater investment in coastal and natural infrastructure with both presidential candidates was important. We had opeds published in Florida, North Carolina, and two great Beach New Service articles (here and here) discussing this. Both candidates campaigned on the need for greater U.S. investment in infrastructure and now, post-election, we will work to hold the new administration to that commitment, while continuing to highlight the needs and benefits of natural coastal infrastructure (such as beaches, dunes and wetlands).