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Theme:

Guam’s Coastal Zone Policies:
Examining the Vital Role of Codes, Ordinances, and Enforcement in Fostering Economic Growth, Community Empowerment, and Managing Coastal Resources.

Guam’s resilience and ability to manage its resources depend on the strength of our policies and enforcement of our rules and regulations. This year’s theme emphasizes the critical role of legal frameworks in shaping a future that balances economic development with environmental stewardship. 

Why this Focus?

The theme for this year’s symposium is built on GCMP’s core objectives, which are to work toward the effective administration and enforcement of Guam’s natural resource-related laws and regulations. The 10th Assembly of Planners Symposium reinforces the Guam Coastal Management Program’s mission to protect coastal resources through sound governance by highlighting the importance of enforceable, well-designed laws. With growing challenges to our coasts and communities, shaping policies is essential to ensuring Guam remains vibrant, sustainable, and prepared for the future.

Topics and Plenaries:

• Comprehensive Development Planning: This session will cover the current state of the Guahan 2050 Sustainability plan, the progress that has been made, and the next steps after completing the 1st draft.  This session will also include speakers who have developed and implemented comprehensive development plans and cover insights and best practices that Guam could benefit from.
• Addressing the Root Causes of Wildland Arson. This session examines societal attitudes toward wildland arson and explores community engagement, education, and policy reforms aimed at reducing arson incidents in the watershed.
• Northern Guam Lens Aquifer: The Compliance Void: Challenges with Water Regulations and Enforcement: This plenary addresses the gap between regulations and real-world implementation and the cost of utilities. Issues to be covered include: Closing the Loop: Integrating Application Review Committee Recommendations into the Building Permit Process; Prioritizing aquifer protection through infrastructure projects and planning; Protecting the Health and Sustainable Yield of  Northern Guam’s Lens Aquifer.
• Marine Planning:  This plenary will convene planners, community leaders, and resource managers to explore integrated strategies for sustainable ocean use and coastal zone resilience.
• Flood Policy and Stormwater Management – This plenary session brings together key stakeholders from government agencies, the private sector, and regulatory bodies to address the pressing challenges of flood policy and stormwater management in Guam.
• GIS Data Integration: This plenary will showcase practical applications of spatial data integration for managing natural hazards, optimizing resource use, and supporting sustainable development, providing actionable strategies that strengthen institutional capacity and support implementation of the Guahan 2050 Sustainability Plan.
• Stewarding Guam’s Working Landscapes: Forest Systems and Agricultural Land Futures: This panel will examine the status of these vital landscapes, focusing on key initiatives like the Guam Forest System and Habitat Conservation Plan, as well as the collaborative efforts of the Guåhan Sentinel Landscapes Partnership.
• Strengthening Regional Coordination: CZMA Federal Consistency Across the Marianas: This session will explore the evolving role of the Coastal Zone Management Act’s (CZMA) Federal Consistency provision in shaping regional federal activities across Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

Keynote Address:
Mr. Derek Brockbank, Executive Director, Coastal States Organization, will discuss: What’s unfolding with federal coastal funding? He will provide a critical update on the uncertain future of federal coastal funding in 2025. His talk will explain how recent developments, including FY’25 and FY’26 budget processes, potential rescissions, and impoundments, are affecting key funding sources such as annual appropriations, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Inflation Reduction Act funds.

Partners and presenters include:  

Office of the Governor, Bureau of Statistics and Plans (BSP); Guam Coastal Management Program (GCMP); Coastal States Organization (CSO), Guam Department of Land Management (DLM); Guam Department of Agriculture (DOAG); Guam Environmental Protection Agency (GEPA); Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB); Guam Fire Department; Department of Public Works (DPW); American Institute of Architects (AIA) Guam; Guam Waterworks Authority; University of Guam (UOG); Center for Island Sustainability (CIS) and Sea Grant; Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific (WERI); Texas General Land Office; Washington Department of Ecology; Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program; Maryland Department of Natural Resources; and Wisconsin Department of Administration.

The purpose of the Assembly of Planners’ Symposium is to address meaningful land and natural coastal resource issues or problems that could be resolved through the collective focus of Guam’s planning, resource, and policy communities through a forum that:

♦ Works to improve management systems and advance effective policy;

♦ Discusses issues through the use of science, data, and research that serve as the foundation for decisions;

♦ Provides professionals with the opportunity for face-to-face discussion and sharing of information that is useful in identifying solutions, improving services, and avoiding or mitigating the adverse effects of poor planning, development, and natural hazards;

♦ Works to optimize and coordinate comprehensive planning