Resilient Infrastructure. Healthier Ecosystems. Stronger Coastal Communities. Leading experts discussed in our webinar on June 18 how science-based policy can help unlock more effective, implementable, and resilient approaches to coastal infrastructure.
Mequela Moreno, ECOncrete’s Environmental Affairs Manager, hosted Dr. Maria Petrova, Professor of Sustainability, Energy and the Environment, Laura Tam of Bay Planning Coalition, and Pepper Uchino of the Florida Shore & Beach Preservation Association for a discussion on how coastal resilience is evolving from a purely engineering challenge to a systems challenge.
The conversation explored why nature-based and hybrid green-gray solutions often face harder permitting pathways than conventional hard infrastructure, what California and Florida are doing to streamline resilience implementation, and how policy developments such as Florida’s SB 302 are helping create clearer pathways for moving coastal resilience solutions from pilot projects to standard practice.
The speakers also discussed the growing need for infrastructure investments that deliver multiple benefits — coastal protection, habitat creation, public access, climate adaptation, risk reduction, and long-term flexibility — before the next storm, not after it.
From adaptive governance and evidence-based decision-making to permitting reform and regional resilience planning, the conversation highlighted a clear shift: future-ready coastal infrastructure must be designed not only to withstand changing conditions but to support ecosystems, communities, and economies over time.
Our webinar has been approved by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure for annual credential maintenance for Envision Sustainability Professionals (ENV SP). By attending the webinar, ENV SPs earn 1 credential maintenance hour toward the annual requirements needed to keep their status active. Get in touch with us to request your credentials.
Webinar panelists
Dr. Maria Petrova
Dr. Maria A. Petrova is a Professor of sustainability, energy, and the environment with extensive academic, research, and consulting experience in climate policy, decarbonization, and energy transitions. Her work focuses on strategic frameworks for sustainable management, integrating climate and energy policy into institutional and corporate decision-making, and applying evidence-based approaches to complex policy challenges.
Dr. Petrova brought a broader policy and systems perspective to the discussion, examining how evidence-based frameworks can support better infrastructure decisions and help align innovation, governance, and long-term resilience planning.Dr. Maria Petrova explored how global energy systems, climate policy, and international infrastructure development are shaping the future of resilient coastal and urban infrastructure planning.
See Dr. Maria Petrova’s recorded presentation >>
Pepper Uchino
President, Florida Shore & Beach Preservation Association
Stephen “Pepper” Uchino is an expert on environmental policy with a specific focus on natural resources. He is the President of the Florida Shore & Beach Preservation Association. Before taking the helm at FSBPA in 2019, Pepper was a partner at Anfield Consulting Group and a Staff Director for various committees in the Florida Senate, where he worked on nearly every aspect of Florida’s environmental laws and policy. Pepper has a master’s degree in Marine Affairs and Policy and a law degree from the University of Miami.
Pepper Uchino shared insights from Florida’s frontline experience with beach preservation, erosion management, storm recovery, and evolving approaches to shoreline stabilization and resilient coastal infrastructure.
See Pepper Uchino’s recorded presentation >>
Laura Tam, CEO at Bay Planning Coalition
Laura Tam is the Chief Executive Officer of Bay Planning Coalition, leading a network of more than 150 organizations focused on policy, funding, and regulation for San Francisco Bay and surrounding communities. With over 25 years of experience in climate resilience, natural resources policy, and sustainable planning, she is recognized for building cross-sector partnerships and advancing regional resilience strategies. Laura is a co-author of the San Francisco Bay Shoreline Adaptation Atlas and has contributed extensively to policy studies on water, energy, and climate. Prior to joining BPC in 2024, she held leadership roles at Resources Legacy Fund and SPUR. She holds degrees from Dartmouth College and Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
Laura Tam discussed how regional planning agencies are addressing sea level rise, coastal flooding, and infrastructure vulnerability through long-term resilience planning, policy integration, and collaborative waterfront adaptation strategies.
See Laura Tam’s recorded presentation >>
Hosted by Mequela Moreno, ECOncrete’s Environmental Affairs Manager
Mequela Moreno is an environmental professional specializing in coastal resilience, sustainable infrastructure, and environmental policy. She serves as Environmental Affairs Manager at ECOncrete and as an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Science at Everglades University. Her work focuses on advancing innovative solutions that enhance both infrastructure performance and ecological outcomes.