As we have previously reported, the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP) is a region-wide plan for the bay shoreline that guides the creation of coordinated, locally-planned sea level rise adaptation actions that work together to meet regional goals.
After soliciting public comment on the plan, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) received over 300 letters and testimonies, including those from dozens of Bay Area residents who testified in person or via Zoom. The BCDC has reviewed and responded to each comment and has revised the draft RSAP to incorporate community feedback. The Commission will hold a vote to adopt the RSAP as a Bay Plan Amendment (BPA 1-24) on December 5, 2024.
Once adopted, local jurisdictions within the BCDC’s shoreline will have until January 2034 to complete Subregional Plans according to the Guidelines in the RSAP.
BCDC Chair Zack Wasserman has written:
The Bay Area is already experiencing the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels through flooding from high tides, storm surge, and bigger storms with more rain. Their ramifications―threatened natural habitats that would otherwise protect shoreline communities, disrupted transportation networks, untreated wastewater flowing into the Bay, parks and open space under water, and water flowing into places that once were dry―are only projected to worsen in decades to come…
This version of the RSAP will change over the coming years as we observe how the Plan is implemented and how conditions may change. Our collaborative effort must ensure that the Bay Area not only retains its diverse social fabric and economic prowess, but that our plans for adaptation strengthen both, as well as provide protection for our people, our places, and our habitats. By working together across our region, we can realize that goal.