The U.S. Geological Survey study looked at more than 50 years of data and found an average yearly shoreline change of 1.4 meters — or more than 4 1/2 feet — taking both beach erosion and expansion into account. Gibbs, the lead author in the study, said there is no national erosion average from the previous studies, but most places showed shoreline changes of less than 1 meter per year, and a bit higher in Gulf states like Mississippi and Louisiana. [...] to be studied in the national project are Alaska's western and southern coast, as well as the Great Lakes area on the mainland. Walt Audi has witnessed much of the shoreline changes himself as a 51-year resident of the far north village of Kaktovik, which lies within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge about 640 miles north of Anchorage.