To characterize shoreline types across the study area for the purposes of identifying potential coastal storm risk management and risk reduction strategies, the SACS leveraged the NOAA Environmental Sensitivity Shoreline Index data which provided a consistent shoreline dataset across the study area. While the primary use of these data is to support oil spill contingency planning, the data can also be used to support a variety of coastal planning applications (NOAA 2017, NOAA 2000). Criteria used to characterize the shoreline included the shoreline setting, degree of exposure to wave and tidal energy, substrate composition, substrate permeability, slope, the presence of wetlands, development, coastal armor, and shoreline stabilization structures. The SACS Geospatial Appendix details specific NOAA ESI Code reclassifications.