The Shoreline Management Act (SMA) and the Shoreline Master Program (SMP) Guidelines contain no requirements for SMPs to address climate change or sea level rise. However, they require local jurisdictions to take into account scientific and technical information pertinent to shoreline management issues. In this respect, the WCRP includes a Shoreline Master Programs’ Handbook appendix. This handbook presents background information on projected sea level rise in Washington State, potential impacts of sea level rise, and suggestions for local governments to address sea level rise in their SMP updates.

The Washington coastal network website contains both introductory information on sea level rise as well as recent research, tools, and guidance for incorporating sea level rise into planning and decision-making processes. The information available include: 

• An introduction to sea level rise, its effects and impacts, with educational resources and ways to get involved in sea level rise planning.
• Sea Level Rise Projections
• Visualization tools and tutorials to explore how projections change for specific locations across the state, based on time scale and likelihood.
• Sea Level Rise Resources of useful documents and guidelines for planners, policymakers, and other professionals 
• Case Studies – Examples of how communities in Washington are incorporating sea level rise projections into local planning processes and within the design of specific projects.