Diving Deep into the New Digital Coast Act with Jason Jordan & John "JB" Byrd | Capitol Beach

December 29, 2020

Big coastal data: NOAA's Digital Coast is super

On The Capitol Beach, Derek Brockbank speaks with Jason Jordan of the American Planning Association, and John "JB" Byrd representing the Digital Coast Partnership Advocacy Coalition about the partnership and advocacy that led to the recent enactment of the Digital Coast Act (S. 1069, which has become Public Law [PL] 116-223).  This pod is an "in-the-weeds" sequel to the ASPN podcast from October 2020 on the Digital Coast with Nicolas "Miki" Schmidt at NOAA.  Derek, Jason and John get into what it takes to make an effective federal coastal program, including a user-group partnership of stakeholders and an organized coalition of advocates who can bring political support for the program. We also explain the difference between a federal project and a federal program, as Digital Coast has shifted from project to program.

Show Transcription
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Derek Brockbank

Derek Brockbank is Executive Director of Coastal States Organization (CSO), which represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories, and Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes issues. With two decades of experience in Washington DC on coastal adaptation policy and organizational development, Derek is connecting state coastal management programs with federal agencies and resources in order to address the greatest coastal challenges facing society. He previously served as executive director for the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) where he led the strategic planning and outreach, government affairs, and development goals of the nation’s leading organization advocating for beach and coastal restoration. Prior to starting with ASBPA, Derek worked as campaign director for a coalition effort to restore the Mississippi River Delta and Coastal Louisiana, and was part of a gulf-wide campaign to pass the RESTORE Act, securing billions of dollars for Gulf Coast restoration. This followed up on his work with National Wildlife Federation on climate adaption. Derek grew up in New York City and got his coastal education from an early age playing on the beaches of Long Island, and kayaking and fishing in Peconic Bay.