U.S. Population Goes Coastal

Every day 1,500 new homes rise along the U.S. coastline. National Geographic asks, "Are America's coastlines are in danger of being loved to death?"

2 minute read

July 12, 2006, 7:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"Call it the Jimmy Buffett syndrome. Every week more than 3,300 new residents land in southern California, while another 4,800 hit Florida's shores. Every day 1,500 new homes rise along the U.S. coastline. More than half the nation's population now lives in coastal counties, which amount to only 17 percent of the land in the lower 48.

In 2003 coastal watersheds generated over six trillion dollars, more than half the national economy, making them among our most valuable assets. Yet two blue-ribbon bipartisan panelsâ€"the Pew Oceans Commission and the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, convened by the Pew Trusts and the U.S. Congress, respectivelyâ€"recently issued disturbing reports that found the coasts are being battered by an array of pollution and population pressures. Former Secretary of Energy Adm. James D. Watkinsâ€"not exactly a wild-eyed environmentalistâ€"chaired the U.S. commission and laid it out for Congress:

'Our failure to properly manage the human activities that affect the nation's oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes is compromising their ecological integrity . . . threatening human health, and putting our future at risk.' "

National Geographic Magazine offers profiles of four people who have an impact on the nation's coastlines. Those profiled include:

  • Surfer Harry Richard "Skip" Frye;
  • Marine scientists Jane Lubchenco and her husband and colleague, Bruce Menge;
  • Developer Peter Rummell of Florida's St. Joe Company; and,
  • Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries shellfish biologists Greg Sawyer and Garry Buckminster.

    Thanks to Ashwani Vasishth

  • Saturday, July 8, 2006 in National Geographic

    portrait of professional woman

    I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

    I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

    Mary G., Urban Planner

    Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

    Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

    Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

    A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

    July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

    Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

    Chicago’s Ghost Rails

    Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

    July 13, 2025 - WTTV

    Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

    Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

    The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

    July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

    Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

    Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

    Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

    July 18 - Inside Climate News

    Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

    MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

    MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

    July 18 - WABE

    Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

    Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

    A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

    July 17 - San José Spotlight