Introduction

This is a blog for the Reinventing the News journalism class at Northeastern University in Boston. As someone who has been concerned and fascinated by New England's constantly changing environment I will primarily be commenting on issues impacting the region and their coverage in the media.

Take, for example, a story in today's Boston Globe about the ocean eating away at beachfront property in Chatham, Mass. Storms, particularly Nor’easters, carve out large chunks of sand, creating breaches in sandbars that had previously protected homes.

These homeowners, many of whom may have rebuilt several times in the past, suddenly find their vacation properties in jeopardy. Some, like Fred Truelove, who the Globe profiled, are forced to demolish their homes before the sea does it for them.

While sand is carried away, the Atlantic simultaneously deposits new sediment in other locations. The problem, of course, is this influx and outflow of sand typically does not occur where it would be most convenient for humans.

So this raises the debate, should people be allowed to build close to the ocean? And should municipalities spend money trying to protect those homes or let nature run its course?

Certainly insurance companies have spoken on the issue, often refusing to cover threatened properties like Truelove’s. But, after storms, federal and state governments contribute tax payer’s dollars to helping these homeowners rebuild time and time again.

And as sea level rises from melting glaciers, many of these properties will be increasingly encroached upon by the Atlantic, regardless of how storms impact them.

Rather than repeatedly rebuilding, perhaps oceanfront homeowners should be forced to demolish their homes and donate the land to preserves and national parks like Cape Cod National Seashore. City, state and federal officials should convene to craft a standard regulating coastal development that ensures diverse coastal habitats are protected and available for public enjoyment.

As an aside, the Globe story examined in some detail how previous storms have altered Chatham’s coastline. This could have been enhanced on-line - especially for readers who are unfamiliar with the area - if the paper had utilized Google Maps or a similar satellite mapping program to visually show how the shoreline evolved overtime.