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Valuing Maine’s Beaches: Assets, Challenges, and Actions for Today and Tomorrow

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Plenary Session I

The Economic Impact of Maine's Beaches

• Michael LeVert, Maine State Economist, Maine State Planning Office

Determining the economic impact of Maine's beaches is challenging because many of the things that beaches provide, such as aesthetic and recreational value, are difficult to quantify. Yet, although we cannot put an exact dollar figure on the value of the beach, we can explore the economic impact that beaches have on the state and local economies in several ways. First, we can examine the role beaches play in Maine's 10 billion dollar tourism industry. Second, we can infer the value of beaches from the seasonal change in beach town employment, turnpike traffic, and retail sales. And finally, we can assess the effect that the presence of the beach has on property assessments.

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Last updated on April 28, 2009

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