Welcome to ActCoastal, the California Coast Accountability Project!
ActCoastal is a campaign to protect California’s coast by bringing transparency and accountability to the actions of the California Coastal Commission — the independent state agency responsible for protecting the coast and the public's right to access and enjoy it.
By law, California's coastline is held in trust for the public. ActCoastal serves everyone who values that trust: the countless people from California and around the world who love the state's iconic coastline — who treasure a walk on the beach or blufftop park, love to swim, surf, fish, or tide pool, or who cherish its diverse and abundant wildlife. It serves all those whose lives are enriched by a healthy coastal environment. And it seeks to serve the Indigenous communities and nations who have lived along the California coast since time immemorial.
The coast we all depend on remains under pressure. Development interests — from luxury hotels and private estates to large industrial facilities — stand to reap enormous profits from coastal lands, and the communities least able to fight back are often the first to bear the costs. Climate change is accelerating sea level rise, shrinking beaches, and compounding the challenges of managing a coastline that belongs to everyone. The Coastal Commission is California's last line of defense against these threats — but only when it acts independently, transparently, and accountable to the public interest rather than private influence.
That’s where ActCoastal comes in. We track the Commission's monthly votes on the coastal development projects and issues that matter most, rating each decision pro-coast or anti-coast. Those monthly voting reports inform an annual report card that has been published continuously for over 20 years.
ActCoastal is a project of Surfrider Foundation, California Coastal Protection Network, Azul, Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, Salted Roots, and Environment California.
Our Mission
ActCoastal works to ensure that California’s coastal environment remains protected, healthy and accessible to all now and for future generations through governance that is independent, transparent, and based on science and inclusive public participation.
ActCoastal Vote Charts
ActCoastal increases the transparency and accountability of the Coastal Commission by tracking the monthly voting record of its 12 appointed members. We score major decisions and outcomes from each of the Commission's monthly meetings, so you can easily understand the impacts of proposed development and other conservation issues on our coast.
