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CZ-Mail
July 2003

Welcome to CZ-Mail, the monthly email update from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM). This update provides information on major CZM initiatives, available tools and publications, upcoming workshops and events, grants, contracting opportunities, job openings, coastal legislation, and other news of interest to people working on coastal issues. More information about CZM's programs, publications, and other coastal topics can be found online at http://www.mass.gov/czm/. If you have suggestions on how to make CZ-Mail more useful, would like to add your name to the mailing list, or would like to have your name removed, please email your request to CZ-Mail@state.ma.us.

All links on this web page were current and working on the date of publication.


Ocean Management
Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) Secretary Ellen Roy Herzfelder kicked off the first meeting of the Ocean Management Task Force on June 17 at the Mariners House in Boston's North End. The Secretary introduced Susan Tierney as the chair to the Task Force, presented her charge to the Task Force, and announced a $200,000 grant from Massachusetts Environmental Trust to fund the Task Force's work. The Task Force discussed ocean management principles, meeting schedule, and public meetings. Information on the Task Force membership, timeline, and meetings can be found at http://www.mass.gov/czm/oceanmanagement/index.htm. The next meeting of the Task Force will be held on July 30 and 31. Details will be posted on the Ocean Management web page when they are available.

Wetlands Program Moves to CZM
The Massachusetts Wetlands Restoration Program (MWRP), housed at the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) since 1993, becomes part of CZM on July 1. Faced with significant budget reductions at DEP, Environmental Affairs Secretary Ellen Roy Herzfelder sought options to continue this program, which has restored 400 acres of wetlands and leveraged over $12.5 million in non-state funds and in-kind services since 1993. Stay tuned to CZ-Mail for further details.

Clean Boating Celebrated in Boston
The Marine Environmental Education Foundation held its sixth annual National Clean Boating Celebration on June 22 at Boston Yacht Haven on the Commercial Wharf in Boston. This annual event celebrates the National Clean Boating Campaign's year-round initiative to promote good stewardship of water resources by boaters, marina operators, boat dealers, and the boating industry. This year, the campaign took the event to boaters and marinas using the Dockwalkers program. This program, organized by CZM and modeled on a very successful effort in California, sent out trained boaters known as "Dockwalkers" to conduct face-to-face boater education about environmentally sound boating practices. Boaters were provided with "Dockwalker" kits that included a wide range of environmental products such as bilge socks and absorbent pads as well as clean boating brochures, tide charts, and lists of local pump out stations. For more on the National Clean Boating Campaign, see http://www.cleanboating.org/.

Grant Opportunities
ACEC Stewardship Grants - The Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA), through CZM, is seeking applications for Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Stewardship Grants, which encourage and support ACEC stewardship activities at the local, regional, and ecosystem levels. The grants provide communities with funding to implement planning, outreach, and monitoring projects, such as developing resource management plans, assessing local bylaws and regulations, making brochures and interpretive signs, or initiating volunteer water quality monitoring programs. The closing date is July 16 and the Request for Responses (RFR) is available at http://www.comm-pass.com.

4 the Environment Grants - EOEA, through CZM, seeks applicants for reimbursement grants to municipalities and counties within Massachusetts Coastal watersheds for the upgrade and replacement of existing two-stroke outboard engines with low pollution outboard motors. Targeting harbormaster, natural resource, and shellfish departments, the program encourages and assists municipalities and counties in converting to clean engine technologies on existing, high use vessels, and fosters public awareness about impacts to water quality from outboard engines. The closing date is July 31 and the RFR is available at http://www.comm-pass.com.

Self-Help, Urban Self-Help Grants Available - EOEA, through the Division of Conservation Services (DCS), is conducting the annual grant round for the Self-Help, Urban Self-Help, and federal Land and Water Conservation Fund programs. The programs provide financial assistance to cities and towns for the purchase of conservation land, the purchase of park land, or the renovation or development of public outdoor recreation facilities. The filing deadline for the Fiscal Year 2004 grant round is August 29. For more on these programs, see the DCS website at http://www.mass.gov/eea/grants-and-tech-assistance/grants-and-loans/dcs/.

Reminder: Coastal Pollutant Remediation Grants - As announced in last month's CZ-Mail, CZM is soliciting grant applications through its Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) Grant Program, which provides communities in the coastal watershed with funds to reduce transportation-related nonpoint pollution sources, specifically stormwater runoff from roadways and sewage from boats. The closing date is July 31 and the RFR is available at http://www.comm-pass.com. For more information on the CPR Program, see http://www.mass.gov/czm/cprgp.htm.

Undersea Research Opportunities - The National Undersea Research Center for the North Atlantic & Great Lakes (NURC-NA&GL) is inviting investigators to submit proposals to address high priority topics. In the North Atlantic Region, these priority topics include the role of habitat in survivorship, growth, and reproduction in managed species; rates of recovery for habitats impacted by fishing; and patterns of diversity within landscape features. Letters of Intent are due by July 21. For details, see http://www.nurc.uconn.edu/research/current/opportunities.htm.

Products/Publications
Environmental Permitting in Massachusetts - This web-based CZM publication gives permitting guidance to project proponents, consultants, and regulators. The guide focuses on Massachusetts environmental statutes, regulations, and permits, but also includes information about local and federal statutes that tie into the Massachusetts permitting process. Section 1 provides an overview of each of the permits described and gives some guidance as to when they may be applicable. Section 2 contains technical descriptions of each of the statutes, regulations, and programs referenced in Section 1, including information on application procedures and contacts for additional information. See http://www.mass.gov/czm/permitguide/index.htm.

Surfrider Foundation State of the Beach 2003 - This annual State of the Beach report analyzes the health of beaches and coastal areas across the nation based on several indicators, including water quality, coastal erosion, and access to beach and surfing areas. See http://www.beach.com/stateofthebeach/.

Ecological Landscaping Tools for Massachusetts Homeowners - This 64-page document published by EOEA gives detailed information on wildlife-friendly, water-saving, low-maintenance landscaping. For a PDF copy, see http://www.mass.gov/envir/mwrc/pdf/More_Than_Just_Yard.pdf.

Reminder: 2003 Pumpout List and Tide Chart - Sewage released from boats contributes bacteria, nutrients, and chemicals to coastal waters. Pumpout facilities are available throughout Massachusetts so boaters can conveniently and properly dispose of their wastes. To get a wallet-sized 2003 Boater Guide to Tides and Pumpout Facilities, which is printed on water-proof paper and contains pumpout information and a tide chart for Massachusetts, email your request and mailing address to czm@state.ma.us. For an electronic copy of the 2003 pumpout list, go to http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/programsandprojects/pumpout.htm#pumpout.

Websites
nowCOAST - The newest version of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) map-based web portal is now available. Called nowCOAST, this site provides spatially referenced links to real-time information from meteorological, oceanographic, and river-observing networks, as well as NOAA's weather and marine forecasts, consolidating information from different NOAA branches, other federal agencies, and stations operated by states or universities. See http://nowcoast.ncd.noaa.gov/nowcoast/viewer.htm.

Invasive Plants - The Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association's website contains a page dedicated to invasive plant issues, with links to PDF documents, including a list of landscape plants determined to be invasive by the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Working Group and a publication on native alternatives to invasive plants with full-color photographs. See http://www.mnla.com/CurveTemplate.asp?cat=18.

National Geographic Animals & Nature - The National Geographic Society maintains and Animals & Nature website with hundreds of articles, including this one on the saw fish becoming the first ocean fish on the U.S. Endangered Species list: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0604_030604_sawfish.html. For the Animals & Nature website, see http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/animals.html.

Job Postings
Boston Harbor Regional Coordinator - This summer, CZM will be seeking to fill its Boston Harbor Regional Coordinator position. Check the CZM website at http://www.mass.gov/czm/jobsandgrants.htm for the posting.

Calendar
Boston Antique and Classic Boat Festival - More than 40 vintage sailboats and motor-yachts are expected to be on display on August 16 and 17 at the Hawthorne Cove Marine in Salem. For more information, including details on how to enter your boat, see http://by-the-sea.com/bacbfestival/.

Reminders: The following calendar items posted in the June CZ-Mail are still to come:

In the News
Here are links to newspaper articles from the last month on coastal issues: (Articles may only be available for a limited time.)

CZ Tip for July
Get to the Shore - Along the coast of Massachusetts there are hundreds of places to access sprawling sandy beaches, rocky coastline, pristine salt marshes, and bustling ports and harbors. For information on coastal access in the Commonwealth, including details on public rights and responsibilities, public access sites, and environmental protection issues, see http://www.mass.gov/czm/tips/beaches.htm.


A publication of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA17OZ1125. This publication is funded (in part) by a grant/cooperative agreement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or any of its sub-agencies.

 
 
 
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