The Auburn University Marine Extension and Research Center and the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium have created two websites to provide technical information on Mississippi and Alabama coastal access laws.
The sites, http://www.accessingtheMScoast.masgc.org and http://www.accessingtheALcoast.masgc.org, contain legal information to help government and public entities, private waterfront land owners and waterfront users understand legal issues related to coastal access. They include information on zoning for coastal access, eminent domain and takings, environmental regulations, planning for access and land trusts.
The projects were funded by a grant from the Maine Sea Grant College Program. The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program provided the legal content.
The websites also provide tools to communities to help them locally address coastal access issues, possibly reducing the need for litigation.