The second possible reason,perhaps equally important,is that most ski resorts are owend and operated by individual corporations which face any financial risks directly and can respond quickly and coherently.Most coastal tourist communities,in contrast,are municipalities with numerous individual landholders who face different degrees of risk and a local government subject to complex political constraints.This cannot be the only factor,because some ski resorts are municipalities and some coastal and island resorts are private corporations.It does,however,appear that in coastal areas there is extensive debate over the respective liabilities and responsibilities of private landholders,local governments,and higher-level governments.Some of this is legal,e.g. over current liabilities for past planning decisions.Some is economic,over current and future responsibilities to invest in protective engineering works,to meet the costs of repairing