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.

Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Meets with Romney
On April 13, Governor Mitt Romney, Secretary of Environmental Affairs Ellen Roy Herzfelder, CZM Director Tom Skinner, and other members of the Governor's coastal team met with Admiral James Watkins, Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy to discuss broad themes and highlights of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy's preliminary report, which was later released on April 20. (Click here for the report). CZM, the Division of Marine Fisheries, and other agencies will review the 500-page report and assist the Governor in drafting a response to the Commission by May 21.

Romney Administration Announces $336,598 in Stormwater Grants
On April 15, CZM Director Tom Skinner announced the Romney Administration's award of $336,598 in grants to Massachusetts communities under the Coastal Pollution Remediation (CPR) program. Funding will be used to identify and treat sources of nonpoint source pollution (NPS), specifically stormwater runoff from municipal roadways that is impacting coastal areas, such as swimming beaches and shellfish beds. For details on the CPR Program, click here.

CZM Welcomes New Coastal Fellow
CZM is pleased to welcome Susan Park as our fifth NOAA Coastal Management Fellow. Susan recently completed a PhD. program at the University of Delaware where she conducted research on larval transport of the invasive Asian shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineaus). She will be working with Jay Baker over the next two years to develop an early detection and rapid response protocol for aquatic invaders in the Gulf of Maine. Susan will be joining us in early August, and will succeed Megan Tyrrell in the long line of great fellows we have had at CZM. (Interestingly, Megan also did her PhD. dissertation on the Asian shore crab.) Welcome Susan!

Green Neighborhoods Wins Environmental Merit Award
On April 22, the Green Neighborhoods Alliance received a prestigious U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) New England 2004 Environmental Merit Award. Founded by Massachusetts Audubon and CZM, the Alliance includes planners, environmentalists, state and municipal officials, lawyers, developers, and real estate agents and has been working since 1997 to reshape suburban development to minimize environmental impacts by promoting Open Space Residential Design, which maximizes the amount of preserved open space without reducing the number of homes built. So far, the Alliance has helped 11 Massachusetts municipalities pass Open Space Residential Design bylaws/ordinances.

Several others from the Massachusetts coastal community were also recognized with Environmental Merit Awards, including: David Fronzuto for his 15-year commitment as marine superintendent in Nantucket, which included his work in designating Nantucket waters as one of the first No Discharge Areas in New England; Charlie Costello with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for revolutionizing wetlands enforcement through new mapping technologies and aerial photography; P.J. Foley for his work to restore Hough's Neck salt marshes in Quincy; and the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District for their work including restoration of salt marsh in Sagamore and leadership in the Coastal America Partnership. Click here for a press release announcing the awards and congratulations to all the award winners!

Spring Has Sprung with Green Landscaping on the North Shore
Several new Green Landscaping projects are currently underway in the North Shore region, using grant funds CZM received from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET). CZM is developing two model green landscape design plans that can be used by developers, landscape designers, and homeowners to create lower-maintenance landscapes that require less water, pesticides, and herbicides than traditional landscaping. CZM is also completing three green landscaping demonstration sites this spring and summer. The first, coordinated by the Ipswich River Watershed Association and the Topsfield Conservation Commission, will involve students and volunteers in creating and maintaining a low impact landscape at the Masconomet Regional High School. The second, coordinated by Groundwork Lawrence, will transform alleyways that are currently full of trash and dominated by invasive weeds and highly compacted soils into an ecologically friendly landscape that emphasizes native and drought-tolerant species, as well as stormwater retention techniques. Finally, CZM will partner with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help fund a demonstration native plant landscape at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge's new Visitor Center in Newburyport, providing opportunities for 250,000 visitors a year to learn about the environmental benefits of landscaping with native plants. For details, e-mail CZM's Andrea Cooper at andrea.cooper@state.ma.us or Kathryn Glenn at kathryn.glenn@state.ma.us.

Skinner Appointed to NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel
CZM Director Tom Skinner has been appointed to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Hydrographic Services Review Panel. This two-year panel will advise the NOAA Office of Coast Survey on its: National Survey Plan; hydrographic surveying and data; nautical charting; water level measurement; geodetic measurements; and geospatial measurements. The panel, which includes members representing industry associations, port authorities, shipping companies, and state agencies, held its first meeting on April 13-14. For a copy of the press release announcing this panel, click here.

New Hires at CZM
We are pleased to announce that Mary-Lee King and Andrea Bistany started at CZM in April. Mary-Lee King is the new CZM Special Assistant working on implementation of the Massachusetts Ocean Management Task Force's final report, particularly recommendations that require legislation. She will also be working on developing legislative support for CZM programs, including encouraging an active Coastal Caucus. Mary-Lee has worked as a Special Assistant for the Department of Fish and Game (for which she will continue to work on a part-time basis), and was Chief Policy Advisor for former Governor William F. Weld and Lieutenant Governor A. Paul Cellucci. Andrea Bistany is CZM's new General Outreach Coordinator and will be responsible planning, executing, and overseeing publications, events, and general outreach for the office, including writing and editing CZ-Mail and CZM's magazine, Coastlines. Andrea previously was a Communications Specialist at CDM, a Cambridge-based environmental engineering firm, where she edited and produced CDM's biweekly electronic newsletter; wrote and edited engineering articles for national trade journals; and wrote, edited, and oversaw the production of brochures, booklets, web pages, and conference materials. Before that, Andrea was a staff writer/editor at several trade publications and she has a B.S. in Mass Communications from Boston University.

Cow Yard Salt Marsh Restored
On May 5, Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT) and its many project partners, including the Town of Dartmouth, CZM's Wetlands Restoration Program, NOAA's Restoration Center, and the Buzzards Bay Project, will celebrate successful completion of a project to restore tidal waters to the Cow Yard Salt Marsh in Dartmouth. This 16-acre coastal wetland was restricted by the presence of an undersized culvert, which was removed and replaced with a larger concrete box culvert. The project was funded through grants from the NOAA -FishAmerica Foundation Partnership, the NOAA Community-Based Restoration Program, as well as a CZM Wetlands Restoration Program grant. The Town of Dartmouth provided technical expertise and additional project assistance was provided through the Buzzards Bay Project, Bristol County Mosquito Control, Cullinan Engineering, the private citizens of Smith Neck, and dedicated DNRT members.

Funding Opportunities
Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) Grants - CZM has released a Request for Responses (RFR) for the Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) Grants Program, which funds projects that address stormwater discharges from municipal roads, highways, or parking areas or for municipal boat sewage management efforts. Proposals are due by June 4 and any cities and towns located within the boundaries of the Massachusetts coastal watershed are eligible. For details on the CPR Program, click here.

Marina Pressure Washing Demonstration Grants - CZM is pleased to announce the availability of funding for two demonstration projects to install pressure wash water treatment systems at marinas, boatyards, and yacht clubs in Massachusetts. Proposals are due by May 14 at 4:00 p.m. All open solicitations can be found on the Comm-Pass website.

ACEC Grant Program - CZM has released an RFR for the Coastal Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Grant Program, which provides funding to groups working on stewardship projects in the designated coastal ACECs. The grants provide communities with funding to implement planning, outreach, and monitoring projects that include but are not limited to resource management planning, assessing local bylaws and regulations, making brochures and interpretive signs, or initiating volunteer water quality monitoring programs. Proposals are due by June 16. All open solicitations can be found on the Comm-Pass website.

Public Comment
Coast Guard Seeks Comments on Amended Anchorage Regulations - To improve safety, the U.S. Coast Guard is proposing to amend the anchorage regulations for Buzzards Bay, Nantucket Sound, and adjacent waters by relocating anchorage ground "L" in Buzzards Bay to an area near Naushon Island. This proposal is one outcome of the Port and Waterway Safety Assessment conducted for Buzzards Bay in September 2003 as a follow-up to the oil spill that occurred in Buzzards Bay in April of 2003. Comments will be accepted through July 15. For the Federal Register notice of the proposed amendment, along with details on how to comment, go to the Federal Register website and enter "20568" in Quick Search.

Draft EIS for Rhode Island Dredge Material Disposal Site - This Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rhode Island Dredge Material Disposal Site is now available for public review and comment. Comments are due by June 21 and public hearings will be held on the project on June 15. For the Federal Register notice, which includes links to the DEIS, details on public hearings, and information on how to comment, go to the Federal Register website and enter "23706" in Quick Search.

Coast Guard Proposes Removing Safety and Security Zones in Salem Harbor - The U.S. Coast Guard has proposed a rule to remove the safety and security zones around the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Power Plant Terminal Wharf in Salem because the Captain of the Port Boston has determined that these zones are no longer needed. If this proposed rule is adopted as final, those seeking to enter these waters would no longer need to seek permission of the Captain of the Port. For the Federal Register notice of the proposed rulemaking, which provides information on how to comment, go to the Federal Register website and enter "16860" in Quick Search.

NMFS Proposes List of Fisheries for 2004 - NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is seeking public comment through May 13 on its List of Fisheries for 2004, which reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. Go to the Federal Register website and enter "19365" in Quick Search for the Federal Register notice.

Products/Publications
2004 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 the wallet-sized 2004 Boaters' 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, click here.

Ocean Commission Preliminary Report - The Preliminary Report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy was released on April 20 and provides detailed findings and recommendations for a coordinated, and comprehensive national ocean policy. Governors and "interested stakeholders" have the opportunity to comment through May 21. Then, the Commission will review comments and prepare and deliver a final report and recommendations on a coordinated and comprehensive national ocean policy to the President and Congress. For a copy of the report and details on the comment process, go to the Ocean Commission's website.

Restoration Monitoring Manual - The NOAA National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science has released Science-Based Restoration Monitoring of Coastal Habitats, which provides technical assistance, outlines necessary steps, and provides useful tools to develop and implement sound scientific monitoring of coastal restoration efforts. For more information, go to NOAA's website.

State Marine Managed Area Policies and Programs - From July 2002 to March 2003, the Coastal States Organization, in cooperation with the National Marine Protected Areas Center, conducted research and interviews on state-level marine managed areas (MMAs) and the potential for future federal/state coordination within a national Marine Protected Area (MPA) system. For the report published through this effort, click here.

GAO Report on Corps Practices in District Offices - The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) has released Waters and Wetlands: Corps of Engineers Needs to Evaluate Its District Office Practices in Determining Jurisdiction, which describes the regulations and guidance that the Corps used to determine jurisdictional waters and wetlands, the extent to which Corps district offices varied in their interpretations of these regulations and guidance, and the extent to which Corps district offices document their practices and make them publicly available. For a copy, go to the GAO's website.

DEP Releases Water Management Policy Documents - The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has released a Water Management Policy for Permit and Permit Amendment Applications and 5-Year Reviews, along with a guidance document for this policy. For more information, go to DEP's website.

Websites
NOAA Restoration Portal - This new website provides centralized information about NOAA Restoration efforts, serving as a portal to publications, websites, case studies, and other materials organized around the following themes: Collaborating with Communities, Restoring Injured Habitats and Natural Resources, Advancing Restoration Science, and the Estuary Restoration Act. See http://restoration.noaa.gov.

Job Postings
Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative Seafloor Mapping Needs Assessment Survey and Workshop Contractor - The Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative (GOMMI) is seeking a contractor to assist in: 1) conducting a Needs Assessment Survey to document needs for seafloor mapping in the Gulf of Maine prioritized by managers, researchers, fishermen, and other potential users, and 2) organizing and producing a proceedings document for a Seafloor Mapping Workshop to be held in October, 2004. For details, click here.

Calendar
Southeastern Massachusetts: Solutions for a Region at Risk - On May 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Southeastern Massachusetts Environmental Collaborative is sponsoring this conference, which will focus on protecting land and water resources and improving land use planning in Southeastern Massachusetts. For details, click here.

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

• The Massachusetts Bays Program (MBP) is hosting the Massachusetts Bays Symposium to be held on May 6-7 in Boston. For more information, click here.
• The Cape Cod Maritime Research Association is presenting the 8th Annual Cape Cod Maritime History Symposium on May 14 at the Sheraton Hyannis Resort. For more information, go to the association's website.
• On May 10-11, Ocean Zoning: Can it Work in the Northwest Atlantic? will be held at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. For further information, click here.
• The Spring Meeting of the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel will be held on May 17-18 in Newport, Rhode Island. For details and a link to a draft agenda, go to the panel's website.
• The Coastal Society's 19th Biennial Conference entitled Measure for Measure: How Do We Gauge Coastal Stewardship? will be held on May 23-26 in Newport, Rhode Island. For more information, go to the Coastal Society's website.
• Bycatch in Northeast Fisheries: Moving Forward will be held in Wakefield on June 29-July 1 for those interested in both research and public policy aspects of reducing "bycatch." Click here for more information.
• The Gulf of Maine Summit will be held October 26-29 in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, and is open to interested citizens, businesses, and organizations from around the Gulf of Maine, who will discuss current environmental conditions and trends in the area, develop a consensus of indicators of environmental quality, and design an action plan and build partnerships to move forward. See the Summit website for details.
• The Massachusetts Coastal Training Program maintains a calendar of workshops and other training events for coastal decision makers and others interested in managing the coastal zone. For more information, see http://www.coastaltraining.org/events/index.htm.

Other Items of Interest
Check Water Temperatures Online - With Memorial Day around the corner, hearty souls may be considering their first dip at the beach this season. To check out average water temperatures in Boston and in Woods Hole, along with current temperatures, see NOAA's National Oceanic Data Center's North Atlantic Coast Water Temperature web page. Be warned--average May water temperatures are between 54-58 degrees Fahrenheit! By June, however, temperatures will start to exceed 60 degrees.

River Herring Season - River herring, which include alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) and bluebacks (Alosa aestivalis), are ready to run. See the Division of Marine Fisheries website for regulations for commercial catch and for regulations for recreational catch.

A publication of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA03NOS4190087. 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.