The Coastal States Organization (CSO) is a U.S.

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

located in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, that represents the

Governors A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

of the nation's thirty-five

coastal states This is a list of U.S. states and territories ranked by their coastline length. 30 states have a coastline: 23 with a coastline on the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean (including the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf of Maine), and/or Pacific Ocean, and eight ...

, commonwealths and

territories A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

. CSO represents the Governors on legislative and policy issues relating to the sound management of coastal,

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

and ocean resources. It contributes to the development of coastal zone management legislation and programs.

History

At the 1969

National Governor's Association The National Governors Association (NGA) is an American political organization founded in 1908. The association's members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. Members come to the association from across the politica ...

Conference, a committee on national marine affairs introduced the resolution to create CSO which was endorsed unanimously., The resolution noted the growing public interest and concern in maintaining the quality of the environment, and that state and territorial governments had not been adequately represented in the emerging national coastal programs. The resolution further emphasized that state governments could best increase their ability to contribute to development and operation of the National Oceanographic and Coastal Zone Management Programs by forming an organization designed to achieve these purposes. The organization thus came into being in 1970.

Membership and organization

The Organization's membership consists of the thirty-five coastal states, commonwealths and territories, which are represented by delegates appointed by the Governors. Including senior state officials from the state environmental, natural resource, or planning agencies, these delegates constitute CSO's Governing Board.

Priorities

Organizational priorities for 2012–2014 are: Coastal Zone Management,

Climate Change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

Adaptation, Coastal Land Acquisition, National/Regional Ocean and Coastal Governance, Corals, and Funding. Organizational priorities in 2008–2009 were:

Climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

Coastal Zone Management Act The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA; , , Chapter 33) is an Act of Congress passed in 1972 to encourage coastal states to develop and implement coastal zone management plans (CZMPs). This act was established as a United States National p ...

Reauthorization, Energy/

Outer Continental Shelf The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) is a feature of the geography of the United States. The OCS is the part of the internationally recognized continental shelf of the United States which does not fall under the jurisdictions of the individual U. ...

(OCS) activities and appropriations.

References

External links

Coastal States Organization
{{Authority control Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Environmental organizations based in Washington, D.C.