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Coastal Estuarine Land Conservation Program
Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program
Upcoming RFR - Anticipated posting in January 2010 Stay Tuned to the CZM Jobs and Grants page The Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) was established by Congress in 2002 "for the purpose of protecting important coastal and estuarine areas that have significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, or aesthetic values, or that are threatened by conversion from their natural or recreational state to other uses," giving priority to lands that can be effectively managed and protected and that have significant ecological value. Congress directed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to administer this program and to establish guidelines that would make CELCP project selection an objective and nationally competitive process. To meet this directive, NOAA developed CELCP guidelines that require states wanting to participate in this voluntary program to first prepare a Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Plan (CELC Plan). NOAA is expected at some future date to require approval of a CELC Plan for a state to be eligible to nominate grant applications to NOAA under the CELCP. To take full advantage of CELCP land acquisition funding, and to help guide selection of state priority projects for nomination to NOAA, CZM drafted a state CELC Plan on behalf of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), with close cooperation with the EEA Director of Land Policy and Division of Conservation Services. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also participated extensively in developing the plan, and several major non-governmental land conservation organizations also reviewed and commented on the state's plan. The CELC Plan used many existing statewide planning efforts, such as the Statewide Land Conservation Plan, the BioMap Report, and the Living Waters Report as building blocks, while adding new information and screening strategies. CZM submitted the Massachusetts CELC Plan to NOAA and it was formally approved by NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management on February 8, 2008. A copy of the final approved Massachusetts CELC Plan is available below. This plan is expected to be in place for approximately five years, and will help guide the state's selection of priority coastal and estuarine land conservation projects during this time. Also available below is the geo-spacial data used to develop the CELC Plan's Map of potential "project areas." Municipalities are encouraged to download these GIS coverages and use them to help identify where potential CELCP priority project areas are located within their towns. Current CELCP News and Information CZM was notified by NOAA in May 2007 that the Center Hill Beach Conservation Project located in the Town of Plymouth will receive approximately $2,250,000 in Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Federal CELCP Funding. This project was identified as a state priority project and nominated to NOAA for consideration in its national ranking process in December 2005. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, CZM, and the Town of Plymouth are currently working together to provide NOAA the necessary paperwork and support information to secure the funds. This is the first Massachusetts CELCP Project to receive funding through NOAA's competitive process. CZM wishes to thank the entire Massachusetts Congressional Delegation, especially Congressman Bill Delahunt, for their assistance in securing funding for this specific project, and for their broad overall support of the CELCP funding. In June 2009, NOAA notified CZM that the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) would receive almost $2 million in Federal FY 2009 CELCP funding for the Great Neck Conservation Partnership Project located in the town of Wareham. CZM nominated teh project to NOAA on behalf of DCR, Massachusetts Sudubon Society, and other project partners, inclduing the Wareham Land Trust and the Coalition for Buzzards Bay. The funding will be used to purchase a conservation easement on 95 acres of undeveloped land bordering Buzzards Bay. The funding will also leverage other resources and donations to create a 260-acre preserve of critical habitat and pristine coastal resources. CELCP provides state and local governments matching funds for land acquisition projects consistent with the Commonwealth’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Plan (PDF, 1.2 MB). CZM is anticipates the NOAA will issue the FY 2011 Notice of Federal Funding for CELCP projects in late December 2009. Therefore, CZM anticipates issuing and RFR in January 2010 that will solicit potential priority projects. Applications will be reviewed and ranked for nomination to NOAA for evaluation and potential FY 2011 CELCP funding. See the NOAA website for details about the 2011 funding opportunity, including project application guidelines and templates. Final nominations to NOAA for consideration in the FY 2011 national competition for CELCP funds will likely be due by late March.
Dave Janik Office of Coastal Zone Management 251 Causeway Street, Suite 800 Boston, MA 02114 (508) 291-3625 x20 david.janik@state.ma.us | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Boston, MA 02114