Underpinning and supporting widespread enjoyment of the California coast is a system that communities could not function without - infrastructure. Sea level rise (SLR) presents unprecedented challenges that threaten infrastructure and must be met with proactive adaptation. The goal of the Commission's draft document (the Guidance), Critical Infrastructure at Risk: Sea Level Rise Planning Guidance for California’s Coastal Zone, is to promote resilient coastal infrastructure and protection of coastal resources by providing local governments, asset managers, and other stakeholders with policy and planning information to help inform sea level rise adaptation decisions that are consistent with the California Coastal Act.

The Guidance addresses two main types of infrastructure – transportation and water – and presents six key considerations for successful adaptation planning. These considerations are accompanied by recommendations for stakeholders on how to plan effectively for the impacts of sea level rise on coastal infrastructure, a description of the regulatory framework that applies to adaptation planning for infrastructure, and model policies that can be used by local governments as a tool for updating Local Coastal Program (LCPs).

On Wednesday, November 17, 2021, the Coastal Commission unanimously adopted the Sea Level Rise Coastal Adaptation Planning Guidance for Critical Infrastructure.