About Shoreline and Coastal Planners Group

The Washington Shoreline and Coastal Planners Group (SCPG) is an educational organization consisting of multi-disciplinary individuals who work for non-profits, conservation districts, private consultants, and the federal, state, local, and tribal governments.

SCPG fosters communication among local governments and other relevant parties. The group’s goals are to:

• Provide an informal professional development forum to discuss policy concerns, new technologies, emerging issues, and new or amended legislation or regulations.

• Enable better implementation of the state's Shoreline Management Act, Growth Management Act, and other similar programs through field trips and the discussion of case studies, best practices, and lessons learned.

Washington Sea Grant and Washington Department of Ecology’s Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program have jointly coordinated SCPG meetings since the early 1990s. The organization meets 2-4 times a year to provide opportunities to create new partnerships and strengthen the statewide shoreline and coastal planning network.

The SCPG meetings are guided by formal needs assessment surveys. Over the years, these meetings have covered a wide range of issues relevant to shoreline and coastal planning in Washington communities, including:

• Steep slopes in Puget Sound

• Ports and cities working together

• Cultural resource planning and permitting

• Elwha dam removal

• Sea-level rise and coastal hazards

• Alternatives to shoreline armoring for erosion control

• Cumulative impact analysis, salmon and watershed ecology

• Environmental effects of docks, piers and other over-water structures

• State and local interests in aquaculture siting

In addition to its meetings, the SCPG also maintains a listserv (sign up here) and this website.

Have comments, questions, or an idea for a meeting? Contact Sydney Fishman, sfishma@uw.edu.