Download Joint Statement on Regional Ocean and Coastal Collaboration

Joint Statement on Regional Ocean and Coastal Collaboration
Great Lakes
Commission
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Minnesota
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
www.glc.org
Governors’ South
Atlantic Alliance
(Forming)
Florida
Georgia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Gulf of Mexico
Alliance
Alabama
Florida
Louisiana
Mississippi
Texas
www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org
“Regional governance mechanisms are needed to achieve a more coordinated, ecosystem-based management
approach for improving ocean and coastal health. ...additional tools and support that the federal government
can provide are also needed to truly resolve the most pressing issues. Multi-state initiatives ... can strengthen
the voice of local stakeholders in communicating those needs to the federal government.”
Joint Ocean Commission Initiative
THE CHALLENGE: The condition of our nation’s oceans, coasts, and Great
Lakes are nearing crisis. While pollution, resource depletion and economic loss
are the symptoms, the true cause of the crisis is a lack of coordination and
leadership.
THE SOLUTION: States have formed five regional ocean partnerships to
manage and protect our ocean and coastal resources on an ecosystem scale.
Leon Panetta and Admiral James Watkins (former chairs of two national ocean
commissions) have called for the creation and ongoing support of these efforts.
An annual report card on ocean governance gave regional ocean partnerships a
grade of “A-,” far surpassing the grades given to the federal government.
PRIORITIES: Critical coastal and ocean needs cannot be met by any one
state working alone. Although each partnership is unique, all work on largescale challenges that require an interstate response. Regional partnerships are
producing measurable results on such priorities as climate change adaptation,
habitat restoration, coastal hazards and human safety, water quality and environmental education. Enhanced coordination between states and federal agencies is a hallmark of each partnership.
Northeast Regional
Ocean Council
The nation needs to invest in protecting our ocean and coastal resources both
for their intrinsic value and for the national economy they help support.
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Vermont
community.csc.noaa.gov/
nroc
SUPPORT FOR PARTNERSHIPS IS NEEDED: Today’s coastal and ocean
challenges far exceed the resources that states can bring to the partnership
table. Financial assistance and federal agency expertise, especially in the areas
of data acquisition, mapping, monitoring and research, are needed to achieve
the seamless federal, state, and local approach to ocean and coastal management
envisioned by the two national commissions.
West Coast
Governors’
Agreement on
Ocean Health
California
Oregon
Washington
www.westcoastoceans.
gov
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The time to act is now! To address our ocean and coastal challenges, the five regional partnerships have
each developed action plans that require federal support.
The Obama Administration and Congress should invest in regional partnerships to address the nation’s
most pressing ocean and coastal priorities.
Contact: Tim Eder, [email protected], Phone: 734-971-9135, Fax: 734-971-9150, www.glc.org/restore
Governors’ South Atlantic Alliance Priority Issues
Healthy Ecosystems
Working Waterfronts
Clean Waters and Oceans
Resilient Communities
Background
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina share a rich array of ocean and coastal resources
that provide economic, environmental and social benefits for each state and its citizens. The pressures
placed on the Southeast’s natural, economic, national defense, and cultural resources are increasing
across the region and opportunities exist for coordination. The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy report
strongly supported regional alliances to facilitate more collaboration across government jurisdictions.
In late 2008, the four states requested support from all federal, ocean and coastal agencies through the
White House Council for Environmental Quality. The Subcommittee on the Integrated Management of
Ocean Resources has initiated federal engagement in supporting the Alliance and the states are seeking
feedback from universities, NGOs, private businesses, and the public on the following issues:
Healthy Ecosystems
The South Atlantic supports a diverse array of coastal, estuarine, nearshore, and offshore ecosystems
critical to the ecological and economic sustainability of the Southeast. The Alliance focus includes:
enhancing and supporting ecosystem-based management within the region;
improving ecosystem structure and function using strong scientific data;
increasing understanding of the scope and scale of the region’s human and natural resources; and
developing communication networks, research frameworks and outreach/education initiatives.
Working Waterfronts
Working waterfronts include water-dependent facilities and related shore-side infrastructure that offer
access or support facilities for recreation, commerce, research and other public uses. Challenges facing
these areas include water access, quality, growth, environmental degradation and climate change. The
Alliance focus includes:
sustaining robust waterfront cultural traditions, commerce, and use of public trust;
integrating coastal and land use planning tools to balance new development, historic uses, port
expansion, and sustained resources for the future.
Clean Coastal and Ocean Waters
Significant impacts to estuarine water quality and coastal ecosystem health are predicted as a result of
increasing point and non-point source pollution from increased urbanization. At the same time, climate
change is altering our coastal waters. The Alliance focus includes:
enhancing coastal managers ability to prevent, enforce, respond, and mitigate ecosystem and
human health concerns; and
ensuring consistent scientific data by integrating coastal and ocean observing systems in the South
Atlantic.
Disaster-Resilient Communities
Both short-term and long-term changes in weather and climate are major concerns. These changes
threaten coastal communities, a multi-billion dollar tourism industry, coastal and watershed
development and infrastructure, and local fishing industries. The Alliance focus includes:
sharing best practices to minimize losses and accelerate recovery, while implementing new and
more effective coastal and land use strategies to minimize future risk; and
enhancing understanding of ocean and weather dynamics, coastal hazards, and climate change.
For more information, contact Chris Russo, South Atlantic Executive Planning Group, (919) 715-4169
For Healthy and Resilient Coasts
Alliance Management Team
What is the Gulf of Mexico Alliance?
The Gulf of Mexico Alliance, initiated in 2004, is a partnership of
the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas,
supported by thirteen federal agencies with the goal of regional
collaboration to enhance the ecological and economic health of the
Gulf. By working together on selected regional issues, the Alliance
is realizing the benefits of shared management successes and
coordinated management decisions. Focused on six initial priority
issues of regionally significant which can be effectively addressed
through increased collaboration at local, state, and federal levels
the Alliance is a model of regional governance that has generated
international attention.
America’s Sea: The ninth largest water body in the world, the Gulf
of Mexico offers unique ecological diversity, including half of the
U.S. wetlands. Supported by abundant bays, estuaries, tidal flats,
barrier islands, coral reefs, and mangrove forests, the region’s
ecological communities are essential to sustaining local economies,
recreational experiences and overall quality of life.
The Value of the Gulf of Mexico: With a gross domestic product
(GDP) of over $2.2 trillion (Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2006)
the economy of the Gulf of Mexico region provides jobs for more
than 20 million people and provides for roughly ½ of the U.S. oil,
natural gas and refinery production.
Gulf of Mexico Facts:
™ The Gulf yields 69% of the shrimp and 70% of the oysters
caught in the U.S.
™ Seven of the nation’s top 10 ports in terms of tonnage or cargo
value are located in the Gulf.
™ With a watershed stretching from the Rockies to the
Appalachians, the Gulf provides much of the atmospheric moisture
for North America.
™ 3.6 million Residents took part in some 25 million marine
recreational fishing trips in the Gulf during 2006.
Challenges facing Gulf of Mexico:
™ Declines in marine species (shrimp, oysters, finfish)
™ Loss of habitat (wetlands, coral reefs)
™ Excess Nutrients (hypoxia) and population growth & shifts
™ Hurricanes and Sea Level Rise
Priorities for the Gulf Alliance:
™ Water Quality for Healthy Beaches and Shellfish Beds;
™ Wetland and Coastal Conservation and Restoration;
™ Environmental Education;
™ Identification and Characterization of Gulf Habitats;
™ Reducing Nutrient Inputs to Coastal Ecosystems; and
™ Coastal Community Resiliency
Alabama
Barnett Lawley, Commissioner
Phillip Hinesley, Alternate
Alabama Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources
251-621-1216
Florida
Lee Edmiston, Director
Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
850-245-2101
Louisiana
Hal Leggett
Secretary
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
225-219-3953
Mississippi
Bill Walker
Executive Director
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
228-374-5000
Trudy Fisher
Executive Director
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
601-961-5000
Texas
Buddy Garcia, Commissioner
Becky Walker, Alternate
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
512-239-5515
The Federal Workgroup
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Council on Environmental Quality
NASA
National Science Foundation
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Department of Agriculture
○ Natural Resources Conservation Service
Forest Service
Department of Commerce
○ NOAA
Department of Defense
○ Navy
Department of Energy
Department of Interior
○ MMS
○ National Park Service
○ U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
○ USGS
Department of Health & Human Services
○ Food & Drug Administration
Department of State
Department of Transportation
Environmental Protection Agency
www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org
“Reaching across jurisdictional boundaries to solve the
regions most pressing ocean and coastal problems.”
Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts
Rhode Island Connecticut and Vermont
The Northeast Regional Ocean Council is a dynamic state/federal partnership that is breaking new ground in the
management of the region’s coastal and ocean resources. Created by the New England Governors in response to the
US Ocean Action Plan, NROC facilitates progress on regional ocean concerns. NROC works directly with the
President's Ocean Policy Committee and its Subcommittee on the Integrated Management of Ocean Resources
(SIMOR), focusing the resources of eleven federal agencies on the New England’s ocean and coastal priorities.
Guided by its Coast and Ocean Action Plan, NROC’s 2009-2010 work plan includes collaborative state and federal
projects that support three regional priorities, Healthy Ocean Ecosystems, Balanced Ocean Energy Development and
Storm-Resilient Coastal Communities. Over arching themes of data management/sharing, climate change and better
coordination cross the NROC priorities and are fundamental in coastal and ocean management.
Ocean Ecosystem Health
Healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems support New England’s vitally important
fishing, maritime trades, tourism, defense and related sectors. The Council’s 20092010 work plan focuses on:
• Conducting workshops on marine spatial planning, ocean health and data sharing;
• Developing a New England regional governance framework;
• Creation of ocean health indicators
• Supporting applied ocean and coastal research needs.
Ocean Energy Planning and Management
Energy from renewable ocean wind and tidal power will help meet the regions’ energy
needs, create new jobs and increase energy independence. NROC is concerned about
sound planning and siting of renewable and fossil-fuel based coastal and ocean energy
facilities. The Council’s 2009-2010 work plan focuses on:
• Developing regional ocean energy siting information requirements and
creating a regional strategy to acquire that information;
• Facilitating the exchange of creative ocean energy approaches among the
states;
• Improving ocean seafloor mapping.
Storm-Resilient Coastal Communities
Billions of dollars in public infrastructure and private property continues to be at risk from coastal storms in New
England and projections of the impacts of sea level rise are dire. The Council’s 20092010 work plan focuses on:
• Building a common framework for storm surge and sea level analysis;
• Conducting workshops and sharing state experiences on climate change
adaptation;
• Responding to managers’ needs for LiDAR and other tools.
Through NROC, the Governors of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut have
requested $5.5 million in federal support to advance shared federal and state priorities in the areas of ecosystem
health, ocean energy planning and coastal hazards resiliency.
2009 Council Chair: Kathleen Leyden, Maine State Planning Office, Augusta Maine 04333 (207) 287-3144
The West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health is a proactive,
regional collaboration to protect and manage ocean and coastal
resources along the entire West Coast. Launched on Sept. 18, 2006 by
Gov. Gregoire of Washington, Gov. Kulongoski of Oregon and Gov.
Schwarzenegger of California, the agreement advances regional ocean
governance efforts as called for in the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew
Oceans Commission.
The agreement seeks to advance the goals of:
1. Ensuring clean coastal waters and beaches.
2. Protecting and restoring ocean and coastal habitats.
3. Promoting the effective implementation of ecosystem-based
management.
4. Reducing adverse impacts of offshore energy development.
5. Increasing ocean awareness and literacy among residents.
6. Expanding ocean and coastal scientific information, research,
and monitoring.
7. Fostering sustainable economic development in our
communities.
After extensive public participation and close coordination with three federal co-leads appointed by the
Subcommittee on the Integrated Management of Ocean Resources (SIMOR), the Governors released their Action
Plan in July 2008. The Action Plan highlights two overarching actions: 1) the establishment of a national ocean
trust fund and 2) climate change adaptation. In addition to these overarching actions, there are 24 other visionary
actions within the following areas:
• Polluted
• Offshore
runoff
oil and gas operations
• Harmful algal blooms and
hypoxia
• Alternative environmentally
sustainable energy development
• Marine
• Ocean
• Oil
debris
spill prevention and response
awareness and literacy
• Regional
marine research
• Maritime shipping emission
controls
• Ocean observing and long-term
monitoring
• Habitat protection and
restoration
• Seafloor
• Marine
• Working waterfronts and
sustainable coastal economies
invasive species
• Ecosystem-based
mapping
management
• Regional
sediment management
In late summer 2008, nine working groups were established including
representatives from each of the three states, federal and tribal governments, academia, industry, nongovernmental organizations and other interested citizens. These working groups convened in the October 2008 in
Seattle, Washington, to move forward on implementing these important actions. Action-specific work plans are
being developed by the working groups and will be available in early 2009.
The Governors have requested $5 million in federal support to advance key priorities of the federal government
and Congress in areas such as water quality, ocean and coastal research and mapping, coastal pollution and
habitat protection and restoration.
http://www.westcoastoceans.gov