This website was archived in 2016, when the Governors’ South Atlantic Alliance formally ended. It is no longer being updated.

Working Waterfronts


Working waterfronts include water‐dependent facilities and related shore‐side infrastructure offering access or support for a wide variety of public, business, recreation, and commercial uses. Challenges facing waterfront users include declining water quality, loss of public access and traditional uses, competing demands, population growth, and threats from climate change. The Alliance will undertake activities to:

  • Sustain and enhance robust waterfront cultural traditions, commerce, and uses of public trust; and
  • Integrate coastal and land use planning tools to balance new development, historic uses, port expansion, and sustained resources for the future.

lakePrioritized Actions for 2014

  • WW1A – Integrate regional long range planning for both commercial and federal ports emphasizing multi-modal, multi-use capacity, and promoting the use of existing infrastructure and navigational channels through increased communication between member states.
  • WW2A1(4) – Limit the loss of recreational and commercial waterfronts by encouraging the use of waterway and land-use planning and policy options.
  • WW1C/WW2C – Identify and inventory contemporary and historical, recreational working waterfront sites as well as public access infrastructure and support facilities.

WW Snap Shots

WW1C-WW2C  Working Waterfronts Inventory    WW1A  Improved Navigation    WW2A4  Community Resources

DRC-WW Water Dependent Uses    DRC–WW Clean Resilient Marinas

Prioritized Actions for 2013

  • WW2C – Inventory public access infrastructure and support facilities within the four states.
  • WW1A – Integrate regional long range planning for both commercial and federal ports emphasizing multi-modal, multi-use capacity.

Prioritized Actions for 2012

  • WW2B1 – Protect Military Waterfronts: Develop an inventory/collect information on state-specific military base locations. Coordinate with the SAA Federal Arm. Use SERPPAS as a “backup.”
  • WW1C1 – Develop Common Definitions: Each state will collect existing definitions for commercially, recreationally, culturally important, and historic waterfronts and make into a regional inventory.

TECHNICAL TEAM

STATE REPRESENTATIVES
Maureen Meehan – NC Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources
April Turner – SC Sea Grant Consortium
Shawn Jordan – GA Dept. of Natural Resources
Robert Swett (Team Lead) – FL Sea Grant

FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES
Sherri Fields – Dept. of the Interior/U.S. Geological Survey
Margarett McIntosh – U.S. Dept. of Defense/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

ADDITIONAL MEMBERS
Amanda Smith – U.S. Dept. of Defense/U.S. Navy
Hope Moorer – GA Ports Authority
Bill Ross – SE Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability
Brad Pickel – Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association
Suzi DuRant – SC Marine Association