CZ-Mail
September 2004

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.

Kathryn Glenn, who has been with CZM for 3 years, is now the Acting North Shore Regional Coordinator. Kathryn can be reached at kathryn.glenn@state.ma.us.

COASTSWEEP Kick Off
The Urban Harbors Institute of the University of Massachusetts Boston and CZM will kick off the 17th annual Massachusetts COASTSWEEP at Duxbury Beach at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 18. Cleanups are scheduled all along the coast in September and October. To find a cleanup near you or to volunteer to be a local cleanup coordinator check out the COASTSWEEP website or click here. COASTSWEEP also coincides with the start of National Coastweek, which runs through September 25, and the International Coastal Cleanup, which is the world's largest one-day volunteer event benefiting the marine environment. Last year, more than 450,000 people from the United States and more than 90 other countries participated in the cleanup event, collecting more than 7.55 million pounds of marine debris.

Ocean Management
CZM Ocean Education Guide - CZM is developing a directory of Massachusetts ocean education resources, including field trips, speakers, curricula, publications, parent/child interactive programs, after school programs, workshops, film/video, newsletter/periodicals, library/resource centers, volunteer opportunities, and other programs that will assist marine educators in the Commonwealth. To submit an ocean science program for the directory, please return the completed form by Monday, September 20. Forms may be sent by email to sarah.joor@state.ma.us, mailed to ATTN: Sarah Joor, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, 251 Causeway St., Suite 800, Boston, MA 02114, or faxed to (617) 626-1240.

2005 ACEC Grant Recipients
CZM is pleased to announce the 2005 Coastal Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) grants recipients. This grant program provides funding to groups working on stewardship projects in designated coastal ACECs. The projects selected support resource management and stewardship of natural resources and demonstrate cooperation between municipalities and other groups. The six funded projects are:

• The town of Newbury Planning Board received $10,000 for estuarine management planning in the Parker River/Essex Bay ACEC.
• The town of Bourne Conservation Commission received $2,800 for outreach and signage for the Herring River ACEC.
• The Essex County Community Foundation received $5,500 for a smart growth planning tools workshop for the Parker River/Essex Bay ACEC.
• The Pleasant Bay Alliance received $3,450 for a pet waste management program in the Pleasant Bay ACEC.
• The Weir River Watershed Association received $750 for estuary education center signage in the Weir River ACEC.
• The Mass Audubon Wellfleet Sanctuary received $2,500 for public educational programs in the Wellfleet Harbor ACEC.

Governor Romney Signs Oil Spill Prevention Legislation
On August 4, Governor Romney signed legislation that includes several protective measures to safeguard sensitive coastal areas from the harmful effects of oil and other hazardous cargo spills. The bill was filed in response to the April 27, 2003 oil spill off the coast of Westport in Buzzards Bay, which affected nearly 100 miles of shoreline. The new law establishes protocol for ensuring safe passage, requires transporters with large vessels to carry $1 billion in financial assurance, provides spill capture and prevention training and response equipment to local communities, authorizes law enforcement inspection of vessels involved in past spills, imposes a $5,000 penalty for noncompliance, and adjusts the Massachusetts statute governing release prevention and response to enable the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to take action to prevent spills. Review the law.

Bridge Creek Receives Coastal America Partnership Award
The Bridge Creek Salt Marsh restoration team, composed of 27 partner groups and more than 50 individual partners, has been recognized by Coastal America with a 2004 Coastal America Partnership Award. The Bridge Creek project involves ongoing restoration of 40 acres of valuable coastal salt marsh, including removing significant tidal restrictions along Bridge Creek in Barnstable, Massachusetts. CZM's wetland restoration program (WRP) provided project management; overall partnership coordination between federal, state, private, non-profit groups, and the town of Barnstable; and technical and financial support (including construction grants). CZM's WRP will continue management and coordination of the project's phase II implementation. Click here for more information about the project.

Toomey & Hubbard Receive Visionary Award
Environmental Affairs Secretary Ellen Roy Herzfelder presented Mary Francis Toomey, founder of the Weymouth Back River Watershed Association, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District Chief of Evaluation Branch William Hubbard with the Gulf of Maine 2003 Visionary Award on July 9. Since 1992, Hubbard has lead Coastal America initiatives as chair of the Northeast Regional Implementation Team, chair of the Coastal America Foundation for the Massachusetts Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, and Northeast Federal Agency Regional contact for the National Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership. Toomey, who is known for her devotion to her local environment, has lobbied for the health of the Weymouth Back River and coastal watershed since 1966, including leading efforts to have the river designated a state ACEC.

The accolade, awarded by the Gulf of Maine Council (GOMC) on the Marine Environment, is bestowed upon individuals and organizations that show exceptional dedication to preserving and maintaining the quality of the Gulf of Maine. To nominate an individual or group for a 2004 Visionary Award, click here and select "Award nomination form" in the annual recognition awards section. Nomination forms are due October 8.

Technical Assistance
MACC Online Conservation Connection Forum - The Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) hosts an online Conservation Connections forum page, which provides an opportunity for discussing questions, ideas, and opinions pertaining to Massachusetts and New England environmental concerns. The forum now features MACC board member and staff participation on a regular basis. While the primary focus will continue to be commission-to-commission communication, MACC will offer opinions and, when possible, answer questions. Designed as a tool for conservation commissioners and staff to seek advice and share knowledge with each other, the scope of the forum includes discussions about open space, wetlands and water resources, native plants and animals, commission operations, and more. To learn more about the forum and to access a postings archive, click here.

Funding Opportunities
CNPS 2005 Grant Program - This month CZM will release its Request for Responses (RFR) for the 2005 Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution (CNPS) Grant Program, which provides funding to public and nonprofit organizations for projects that improve coastal water quality. For more information on project eligibility, click here. The RFR will be posted on Comm-PASS, the Commonwealth's procurement access and solicitation system, and on CZM's Jobs and Grants page.

Habitat Restoration Funding RFP Announced - The GOMC and the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) have announced the 2004-2005 request for proposals (RFP) for Habitat Restoration Partnership funding. The partnership, in its fourth year, funds community-based restoration projects that address degraded or altered marine, estuarine, coastal, and freshwater anadromous fish habitats in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Non-governmental organizations, tribal and state governments, and schools are eligible to apply for funding for proposed projects within the U.S. portion of the Gulf of Maine watershed. Projects must include activities contributing to the return of a habitat to its condition prior to disturbance. Approximately $300,000 is available, and awards will range from between $5,000 to $25,000 for design and planning and from $10,000 to $50,000 for project implementation, including monitoring. Larger awards will be considered, and all proposals should target a minimum 1:1 non-federal match. The RFP includes detailed information about the selection process and project criteria. Proposals must be postmarked by November 12. For more information about the grant program, click here.

National Whale Conservation Funding Available - The National Whale Conservation Fund (NWCF) has opened its 2005 grant round and has established a special funding project for government agencies. NWCF supports projects addressing whale conservation needs, habitat protection, species recovery and conservation, applied field/laboratory research needs, social science research, and education and outreach activities. Priority is given to projects that relate to great whales and/or address anthropogenic threats, such as fishing gear entanglement, ship/whale collisions, noise, habitat degradation, and contaminants. Grant round applicants are encouraged to show a 1:1 match for the proposal request. Pre-proposal packets must be submitted electronically by March 1, 2005. Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.

Special funding through NWCF's Atlantic Coast States Cooperative Planning for Right Whale Recovery Program is available to coastal government agencies to assist with implementing or supporting existing conservation and whale recovery programs. Online pre-proposal applications are due March 1, 2005.

NFWF Large Whale Gear Challenge - Also through the NWCF, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is accepting proposals for whale-friendly gear development projects. The team-based competition is designed to promote development of innovative fishing gear or gear modifications that can be used to decrease large whale entanglements. Five teams will receive $10,000 to design, build, and test gear prototypes and a $50,000 award will go to the team that designs and tests gear or gear modifications that are commercially viable. Eligible teams must be composed of three members and work with an advisor from a college or university or a qualified member of a fishing industry, association, or other related organization. A team may also enter the competition as a class or school group. Click here for application information. A letter of intent must be submitted by December 1 with full proposals due March 15, 2005. For information about existing fishing gear and regulations, review the NOAA Fisheries Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan website. The competition is a collaborative effort of NFWF, NOAA Fisheries, the Northeast Consortium, and the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation.

Reminders - The following funding opportunities listed in the last CZ-Mail are still open:

• NOAA 2005 Omnibus Grants - NOAA and NOAA Fisheries grant funding opportunities for fiscal year 2005 can be accessed at Grants.Gov. Search grants by date, activity, or federal agency (such as Department of Commerce).
• Self-Help and Land and Water Conservation Grants - The Massachusetts Department of Conservation Services has opened its 2005 grant round for the Self-Help, Urban Self-Help, and Federal Land and Water Conservation funding programs. Applications are due October 1. For the grant announcement, letter from the Secretary of Environmental Affairs, and application package, click here.
• Nancy Foster Scholarship Program - Applications are being taken for the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program. The program supports independent graduate-level studies in oceanography, marine biology, and maritime archaeology, and in particular, by women and minority group members. For more scholarship information, click here or see the federal grants page. Applications must be received between February 11, 2005 and April 15, 2005.

Project Review
FERC and MEPA seek comments on Fall River Weaver's Cove LNG Project - Weaver's Cove Energy, LLC and Mill River Pipeline, LLC seek approval to construct a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and gas pipeline that would transport up to 800 million cubic feet per day of imported natural gas to the U.S. market. The proposed terminal would include a ship unloading facility, a gas storage tank with a volume of 4.4 billion standard cubic feet, vaporization equipment, truck loading stations, and distribution pipelines. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued its draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, in late July and will accept written comments until September 20. FERC will hold a public hearing at the Venus de Milo Restaurant in Swansea, Massachusetts, on September 8 at 7:00 p.m. The DEIS also serves at the draft environmental impact report (DEIR) required under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). MEPA's comment deadline is September 24. For the DEIS/DEIR, contact FERC's Public Reference Room at (202) 502-8371. To review the docket, go to FERC's website and type "CP04-36" in Docket Number. Click here for information on how to efile comments with FERC. For information on submitting comments to MEPA, click here.

Massachusetts Programmatic General Permit to be Reissued - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposes to reissue its Massachusetts Programmatic General Permit (PGP) in order to streamline permitting processes regulated under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. The PGP, which must be renewed every 5 years, allows certain small projects to proceed without Corps review once all necessary local and state permits have been received. It also defines large project categories that undergo Corps and participating federal and state agency screening (including CZM review) that result in either approval under the PGP, or require individual Corps and state and local agency approval. The Corps has proposed minor changes to the current PGP, such as defining additional projects that fall into the screening category, and new conditions on certain projects. The Corps is accepting public comment until September 9. For the public notice with details how to comment and a list of proposed changes to the PGP, click here, select "Regulatory/Permitting," and then choose "MA PGP Reissuance (August 2004)." For the current PGP, go to the Corps website, select "Regulatory/Permitting," and then choose "Massachusetts" under the State Programmatic General Permits section. For the proposed PGP, go to the Corps website, select "Regulatory/Permitting," and then choose "Proposed MA PGP" under the Topics and Issues section.

Public Comment
Final Ballast Water Rule Issued - To better protect U.S. waters against the unintentional introduction of nonindigenous species, the U.S. Coast Guard will mandate water management practices for all vessels equipped with ballast water tanks bound for U.S. ports. Under the new rule, vessels must completely exchange their ballast water no less than 200 nautical miles from any shore before discharging it into U.S. waters, retain ballast water onboard the vessel, or use a Coast Guard-approved alternative method. The rule is effective September 27. For more information, go to the Federal Register, and type "44952" in Quick Search. To review the public comment docket, click here and enter "14273" in Docket Number.

Ballast Water Treatment System Approval Program - The Coast Guard seeks to consult with all interested and affected parties in establishing a program to approve onboard ballast water treatment systems. The new program will be established to ensure approved treatment systems meet federal ballast water discharge standards. Comments must be received by December 3. For details on how to comment, go to the Federal Register, and type "47454" in Quick Search.

Reminders - The following public comment periods listed in the last CZ-Mail are still open:

• Cape Cod National Seashore ORV Permit Distribution Meeting - The Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission's Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Subcommittee will host its final public meeting to discuss improving the ORV season permit distribution system on September 8. For more information about the ORV permit program, click here.
• Gulf of Maine Atlantic Salmon Draft Recovery Plan Available - NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are soliciting public comment on the Draft Recovery Plan for the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic Salmon until September 16. A copy of the draft is available on the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources website under "Recent News." For more information, go to the Federal Register, and enter "34184" in Quick Search.
• Taunton River's Brightman Street Bridge Schedule Deviation - The U.S. Coast Guard has changed drawbridge operation, for a 90-day test period until September 28, at the Brightman Street Bridge in Somerset, Massachusetts. The bridge will not open for pleasure craft traffic between 7 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information and details on how to comment, go to the Federal Register, and enter "35244" in Quick Search. Comments will be accepted until October 15.

Products/Publications
Barnstable County Wastewater Management Report - The Cape Cod Commission has released its report Enhancing Wastewater Management on Cape Cod: Planning, Administrative, and Legal Tools, which discusses challenges to effective wastewater management and recommendations and features case studies.

NRDC Annual Beach Water Quality Report - The Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) report on 2003 annual beach testing, Testing the Waters 2004: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches, documents 18,000 days of closings and advisories at ocean and Great Lakes beaches last year, an increase of 51 percent from 2002. NRDC attributes the high number of closings and advisory days to both better monitoring and to municipal difficulties identifying and controlling beachwater pollution.

International Earth Observation System Massachusetts Fact Sheet - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NOAA have developed fact sheets outlining the potential benefits of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) for each U.S. state. GEOSS is expected to help predict natural disasters, saving lives and preventing extreme weather and climate impacts. The Massachusetts fact sheet describes how GEOSS will aid with local groundwater monitoring, storm and precipitation tracking, local recreational water evaluations, and more.

Mercury and Fish Consumption - EPA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have developed a new brochure, What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish, presenting recommendations made earlier this year in a joint national mercury advisory. For a PDF copy of this and other EPA fish advisory brochures, FAQs, and more information, see EPA's fish consumption advisory program website.

Job Postings
CZM Director - The Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs has posted the Director of CZM position. The Director of CZM, who will also serve as Assistant Secretary for Coastal and Marine Resources to the Secretary of Environmental Affairs, is responsible for developing the Commonwealth's overall coastal and ocean planning strategy, including the state's participation in regional, national, and international efforts to improve coastal resource management. For more information, go to the Commonwealth Employment Opportunities website.

NAMA Project Director for New England Groundfish Fleet Visioning Project - The Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA), a non-profit organization bringing commercial and recreational fishing, marine science and education, and conservation and community organizations from Rhode Island to Canada together to collaborate on restoring and enhancing the Atlantic marine system, is seeking a project director to oversee and develop partnerships for the New England Groundfish Fleet Visioning Project. The project's goal is to bring government, industry, and others together to develop a shared vision for the future of the fleet. The project director will manage the project's steering committee and ensure that stakeholder vision translates to policy development. To learn more about the position and how to apply, click here. The position will be posted until September 8.

Trustees of Reservations Planner - The Trustees of Reservations is looking for a planner, for a two-year period, to manage several concurrent development open space and historic house projects. The planner will be based out of the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster, Massachusetts, and will perform site inventory and research and develop comprehensive management plans and an implementation schedule. Click here for detailed information about the position and how to apply.

Websites
International Environmental Practices Website - EPA's international practices website offers environmental policies and best practices from countries around the world including Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Australia. An online global library provides links to journals, databases, guidelines, programs, and case studies. Also, the site features examples of U.S. state and local partnerships with other nations that have resulted in creative environmental solutions.

Invasive Plant Species Assessments - NatureServe and the Nature Conservancy have developed a method to assess the impact of invasive plants on native ecosystems. For the report, An Invasive Species Assessment Protocol: Evaluating Non-Native Plants for Their Impact on Biodiversity, dataset, and assessments of more than 300 other non-native plants, click here.

Calendar
Annual Conference on Responsible Fishing - The 4th Annual Conference on Responsible Fishing, Preserving our Oceans, Our Resources, and Our Communities, sponsored by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Sea Grant, and FishExpo, will be held September 29-30 during FishExpo at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island. The conference will focus on fisheries issues confronting East Coast commercial fishermen. Registration ends September 22.

Marine Law Symposium on the Ocean Commissions - The Marine Affairs Institute at Roger Williams University School of Law and the University of Rhode Island is sponsoring a marine law symposium, Following the Commissions: Analysis and Implementation of the Ocean Commission & Pew Commission Reports, at the Newport Marriott in Newport, Rhode Island, from September 9-11. The symposium will focus on comparing the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Commission reports and their recommendations.

Ocean Security Technology Workshop - The Marine & Oceanographic Technology Network is hosting its 4th Ocean Technology Workshop from October 19-21 at the Hyatt Regency Goat Island in Newport, Rhode Island. As of July 1, all U.S. commercial ports and international trading port affiliates must be in compliance with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Maritime Transportation Security Act, which requires ports to have identified all potential targets for attack and to establish plans to protect those assets. The port and harbor security workshop focuses on technologies and services that are already in place and available for port security. For more information, click here.

Stormwater Compliance Seminar - A one-day seminar, Stormwater Permitting: Is Your Municipality or Business in Compliance (And Will it Stay in Compliance?), will be held on October 19 at the Omni Parker House Hotel at 60 School Street in Boston, Massachusetts. The seminar will address municipal and industrial compliance and sustainability issues, management trends, and laws. For more information about continuing education credits and fees, click here.

Coastal Zone 05 Call for Abstracts - Coastal Zone 05, the 14th biennial installment of this premier conference for coastal resource managers, will be held July 17-21, 2005 at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, Louisiana. Called Balancing on the Edge, the conference will focus on balancing the issues of land and sea. Abstracts are currently being accepted through October 4 and must be 250 words or less, submitted online, and peer-reviewed. Acceptance notices will be mailed in December.

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

• 2nd National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration - Restore America's Estuaries is holding the Weaving Restoration into the Tapestry of Coastal Life conference at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center and the Grand Hyatt Seattle in Seattle, Washington, from September 12-15.
• Watershed Conservation Conference at UMASS - The University of Massachusetts Amherst is hosting the Watershed Conservation 2004 Water Resources, Ecosystems, and People conference September 17.
• Promoting Clean Jobs & Neighborhood Change Conference - The Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) and Environmental Justice teams are holding the Promoting Clean Jobs & Neighborhood Change: Building Economic and Environmental Justice conference on September 18 at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts. For more information, see the OTA website.
• Boston Harbor Educators Conference - Boston Harbor: Stewardship of an Ever-Changing Resource will be held on Saturday, October 2 at the University of Massachusetts Boston. For more information contact Peg Collins by email at Ccndpcllns@aol.com.
• Gulf of Maine Summit - The summit, Committing to Change, will be held October 26-29 at the Fairmont Algonquin Hotel in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. Click here to register online.
• Massachusetts Coastal Training Program - The 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, click here.

Other Items of Interest
After the Storm - This 30-minute television special, co-produced by EPA and The Weather Channel, will air on Saturday, September 18 at 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. For more information about the program and access to related watershed protection materials, click here.

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.