Welcome to CZ-Mail, the monthly email newsletter 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.

Babb-Brott Appointed Acting Assistant Secretary
Secretary Herzfelder has appointed CZM Assistant Director Deerin Babb-Brott as Acting Assistant Secretary and Director of the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) office. Deerin succeeds Jim Hunt, who has been appointed by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino as the new Cabinet Chief of Environmental and Energy Services for the city of Boston.

Ocean Management
Governor Files Ocean Management Legislation - On March 18 at Craigville Beach in Centerville, Governor Mitt Romney announced proposed ocean management legislation to allow for more proactive and effective management of Massachusetts ocean resources. The legislation, An Act Relative to Ocean Resources and Conservation (H. 2602), would authorize state agencies to develop a statewide Ocean Management Plan to manage, develop, and protect natural and economic ocean resources within state waters (generally the area between low water and 3 miles offshore). The plan would carry over certain protections from the Ocean Sanctuaries Act and improve coordination between ocean-resource related state planning and regulatory agencies. The proposed bill is the first of its kind in the United States, and was drafted by agencies within the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) in response to the Massachusetts Ocean Management Task Force's overarching recommendation for comprehensive ocean management. Both the Task Force and proposed legislation are part of the Governor's Ocean Management Initiative. As of March 25, the bill has been referred to the Joint Committee on the Environment & Natural Resources. The Task Force recommendations are outlined in the March 2004 report, Waves of Change.

CZM Public Opinion Survey RFR - EOEA and CZM are seeking a qualified contractor to develop and administer an Ocean Attitudes and Values Survey to serve as a foundation for CZM's Ocean Education Program. This survey will explore the personal connection citizens have to the ocean, their general understanding of the ocean and threats to it, the value and concern citizens have for ocean resources, and their coastal management priorities. Candidates should have experience designing surveys, administering telephone surveys, and developing survey reports. For more information and to read the request for responses (RFR), go to the state's Commonwealth Access & Procurement system, Comm-PASS, click "Search for solicitations," and search document "ENV 05 CZM 11." Responses must be submitted by 2:00 p.m., Friday, April 29, 2005.

Secretary Awards Grants in Gloucester
On March 2, Secretary Herzfelder announced more than $30,000 through the Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant Program, CZM's Wetlands Restoration Program (WRP) Grants, and the Gulf of Maine Council's Action Plan Grants Program to fund water quality improvements and restoration projects in Gloucester. The City of Gloucester Health Department received $15,000 in Coastal NPS funds to assess nonpoint source (NPS) pollution of the Good Harbor Beach Drainage Area and also to develop a spatially referenced, digital database of water quality sampling data that will provide a basis for design and implementation of NPS management practices. The Massachusetts Audubon Society received $5,446 in WRP grant funds to develop a student monitoring and outreach program for Mill Pond in Gloucester and a $10,000 Gulf of Maine Action Plan Grant to develop a plan to restore an anadromous fish run in Gloucester's Little River. For more information about this event and the funded projects, review the press release.

This year, 10 Coastal NPS Grants totaling approximately $215,000 and seven grants totaling $100,000 will be awarded.

New England Governors' Conference Natural Gas Study
The New England Governors' Conference (NEGC) has released its natural gas study, Meeting New England's Future Gas Demands: Nine Scenarios and Their Impacts. The NEGC's Power Planning Committee, composed of energy office directors and public utility commissioners from the six New England states, appointed a Natural Gas Subcommittee (which included representatives from Massachusetts) to examine New England's current demand for natural gas, and to analyze the region's future demands, various resource development scenarios, and demand reduction approaches that could be pursued to address these needs. The report provides an overview of New England's natural gas system, examines the region's natural gas demand outlook for the electric generating and non-generator sectors, discusses policy issues, and compares the contributions and potential impacts of pursuing these scenarios.

Gloucester's Schenk and City of New Bedford Receive NOAA Awards
Charles Max Schenk of Gloucester received the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Volunteer of the Year Award at a ceremony on March 9 in Washington, D.C. The award, part of NOAA's annual Excellence Awards Program, recognizes an individual who, outside of his or her work, donates substantial time to improve the coastal or marine environment. Schenk, who is president of the board of the Massachusetts Bays Estuary Association and a member of the Massachusetts Bays Program Management Committee, is committed to improving the coastal environment. The Massachusetts Bays Program nominated Schenk for his outstanding dedication as well as for supporting numerous organizations, including the Cultural Alliance of the Lower Merrimack Valley, Gloucester's Conservation Commission, Friends of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, and the Eight Towns and the Bay Committee.

Also, the city of New Bedford received an Excellence in Local Government Award through NOAA's Excellence Awards Program. This award recognizes the city, under the leadership of Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz, Jr., for the progress it has made in redeveloping brownfields. The city has established numerous partnerships with the public and private sector to support environmental, economic, and social benefits at these sites and is considered a model for coastal communities addressing clean up and reuse of brownfields to meet community goals.

Project Review
Secretary Herzfelder Issues Cape Wind DEIR Certificate - Secretary Herzfelder issued a Certificate for the Cape Wind Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) stating that the DEIR adequately and properly complies with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). However, the Secretary is requiring that the project proponent provide additional characterizations of project alternatives, including other locations and configurations; oceanographic modeling data of Nantucket Sound's sediment transport pathways and how they could be affected by the project; data on the use of the Sound by birds and aquatic organisms; and an additional analysis of the visual impacts of the project. The Certificate also noted that due to a recent change to the state boundary in Nantucket Sound, some of the proposed wind turbines are planned for state waters, which would be prohibited under the Ocean Sanctuaries Act. The Certificate is available on the MEPA's recent decisions webpage.

On the federal level, the Army Corps is reviewing comments received on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and will either prepare a Supplemental DEIS or a Final Environmental Impact Statement. To access the comments, click here, select "Topic + Issues" then "Cape Cod Wind Farm," and scroll down to "DEIS Written Comments-NEW." Please note, the Army Corps DEIS also served as the DEIR required for MEPA review. For the DEIR/DEIS, click here.

Notification Filed for Siasconset Shore Protection Project - Proponents of the Siasconset Shore Protection Project on Nantucket have recently filed an Environmental Notification Form (ENF) with EOEA. The proposed project is designed to protect the southeastern corner of Nantucket Island from the effects of coastal erosion, specifically by widening Siasconset Beach by 200-250 feet and increasing its elevation by at least 10 feet. The project proposal includes a plan to dredge 1.6-2.4 million cubic yards of sand from an offshore site, pump the sediment onto a two-three mile section of the beach, and install sand retaining devices and a large geotextile tube filled with sand at the base of the existing coastal bank. For more information about the ENF, see the MEPA website.

Northeast Gateway LNG Project - Excelerate Energy, LLC and Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC have filed notifications with MEPA for the proposed Northeast Gateway Project. The proposed project would include constructing a deepwater port in the middle of Massachusetts Bay to import and regasify liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be delivered through a new 12 to 14-mile long, 24-inch diameter pipeline that would connect to the existing HubLine gas pipeline. Separate ENFs have been filed for the deepwater port and pipeline components of the project and the proponents have requested that MEPA adopt a Special Review Procedure that would combine its project review with the National Environmental Policy Act review that will be conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard, as the lead federal agency for this project. The public is invited to comment on the ENFs through April 22. To submit comments to MEPA, follow the instructions posted on MEPA's website.

Funding Opportunities
EPA Targeted Watersheds Grants - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting nominations for its Targeted Watersheds Grant Program (formerly called the Watershed Initiative Program). The Targeted Watersheds Grants provide assistance to state and local community groups to protect inland and coastal watersheds. A total of $10 million has been allocated to support community-based approaches and activities that protect and restore local water resources. The deadline for nominations is May 19. For more information, click here.

DCR Low Impact Development Demonstration Project - The Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) has posted an RFR to award up to $75,000 to a developer to demonstrate low-impact development (LID) techniques as part of a proposed or existing residential or mixed-use subdivision project in the Ipswich River watershed. The demonstration project should maximize groundwater recharge, minimize impervious surfaces and site runoff, and preserve natural vegetation and open space. Eligible projects must be: located within the Ipswich River watershed; designed based on LID principles (or be in the early planning and design phases to allow project design to be based on LID); and on track to be permitted, planned, designed, and substantially constructed by September 30, 2006. Proposed projects must also have independent financing in place to support project completion. DCR is hosting a bidder's conference on April 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at its office at 251 Causeway Street, 8th floor, Boston. To review the RFR, go to the state's Commonwealth Access & Procurement system, Comm-PASS, click "Search for solicitations," and search document "DSP 092." Responses are due April 22. For more information about this LID demonstration opportunity, go to the Community Preservation Initiative home page, and see the "What's New?" section.

MassWildlife Extends LIP Grant Application Deadline - The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) has extended its deadline for applications for Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) funding from March 15 to April 15. LIP provides private landowners interested in developing and maintaining wildlife habitat on their properties with funding and technical assistance.

NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative Grants Program - Through the new Oceans and Human Health Initiative, NOAA along with the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, and National Ocean Service, are offering grant funding for proposals that enhance understanding of the connections between the oceans and human health, with the goal of providing useful research and predictive information to NOAA, public health officials, and natural resource managers. Applications must be submitted by April 26. For the official notice with more information, including a list of research priority areas and details on submitting an application, go to the Federal Register, and search "15067-15070" in Quick Find.

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

• John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship - The National Sea Grant College Program and NOAA are now accepting applications through April 6 for the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. The goal of the fellowship is to provide experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting these resources. Awards range up to $41,500.
• Northeast Consortium Funding - The Northeast Consortium is accepting planning letters through April 6 for cooperative research and selective fishing gear development projects. The Consortium, which is affiliated with the University of New Hampshire, University of Maine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and funded by NOAA, supports cooperative research and monitoring programs that create partnerships among commercial fisherman, scientists, and others. For more information, click here.
• Nancy Foster Scholarship Program - Applications for the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program must be received between February 11 and April 15. For information, click here or here.

Public Comment
LNG Exclusion Zone Comment Period Extended - The U.S. Coast Guard is extending its public comment period through May 9 on a request to promulgate regulations establishing exclusion zones for marine LNG spills. For more information and details on how to submit comments, go to the Federal Register, and enter "11912-11913" in Quick Search.

Study of Port Access Routes to Reduce Right Whale Ship Strikes - The U.S. Coast Guard is accepting comments for its Port Access Routes Study of Potential Vessel Routing Measures to Reduce Vessel Strikes of North Atlantic Right Whales through April 19. The purpose of the Port Access Route Study is to analyze potential vessel routing measures that will reduce vessel strikes of the endangered North American Right Whale and minimize adverse impacts on vessel operations. The study will focus on areas where these whales are known to frequent, including Cape Cod Bay, possibly the area off the Cape Cod National Seashore's Race Point, and areas of the southern United States coastline. The recommendations of the study may lead to future rulemaking actions or appropriate international agreements. For more information and for details on how to submit comments, go to the Federal Register, and enter "8312-8314" in Quick Search.

Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan DEIS - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Region is accepting comments and conducting public hearings on the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Area hearings scheduled in April at various locations in Maine. For details, click here. The comment period ends April 26. For the DEIS and details on how to submit comments, click here.

Reminders - The following public comment period listed in the last CZ-Mail is still available:

• Integrated Ocean Observing System Development Plan - The National Office for Integrated and Sustained Ocean Observations (Ocean.US) created by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program is accepting comments on the First Annual Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Development Plan through April 22. The plan identifies existing systems and implementation goals. To submit comments, email Kristine Stump at k.stump@ocean.us. Comments will also be accepted by post to Ocean.US, 2300 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 1350, Arlington, Virginia, 22201.

Products/Publications
2005 Boaters' Guide to Tide and Pumpout Facilities - The 2005 Boaters' Guide to Tide and Pumpout Facilities is now available. The wallet-sized pamphlet, printed on waterproof paper, contains information on the locations of pumpout facilities along the Massachusetts coastline and a June-September tide chart. For a copy, email your request and mailing address to czm@state.ma.us. For an electronic copy, click here.

Wetlands Restoration Program Update - CZM's Wetlands Restoration Program (WRP) has posted its March 2005 update, which includes articles about priority restoration projects and WRP happenings. To receive the update, send an email to wetlands.restoration@state.ma.us and request to be added to the WRP distribution list.

Amended Wetlands Regulations - Revisions to the Massachusetts Wetlands Regulations took effect in March. The amendments include revised standards for work in the buffer zone of coastal and inland wetland resource areas, a simplified review for buffer zone work, guidance on resource area alteration, additional references to stormwater management standards, and other administrative changes. To review the revised regulations, a PowerPoint presentation about the changes, and information on how to get an official copy of the Amended Wetlands Regulations, see the DEP website.

CSO Releases Science to Management Report - The Coastal States Organization (CSO) has released a report examining the relationship between science and management in the coastal zone. The report, titled Translating Science to Management: Challenges and Opportunities for the Coastal Community, discusses several factors to consider when linking science and management including the limitations of science, the role of scientists in resource management, the role of public participation, and more. The report also discusses the importance of bringing scientists and managers together to identify needs, share research information, and improve communication. The report is available on the CSO home page.

NOAA Releases Coastal Population Trends Report - On March 1, NOAA released Population Trends Along The Coastal United States: 1980 - 2008, a report detailing the movement of the U.S. population to coastal counties and the implications of those trends for the future. This publication is an update of a Coastal Trends Report Series report developed in the 1990s.

Still Available - These products and publications, listed in the last CZ-Mail, are still available:

• Coastlines - The Winter 2004-2005 edition of Coastlines, the CZM magazine, is now available. This edition focuses on coastal and marine habitats--from the soft coral on the sea floor to the sand dunes rising above the shore. For a printed copy, or to be added to the Coastlines mailing list, please email your request to czm@state.ma.us.
• Coast Guide - CZM's full-color, spiral-bound Massachusetts Coast Guide to Boston & the North Shore, Volume 1, Second Edition, highlights more than 400 coastal recreation and public access sites from Salisbury to Hingham. Coast Guide is available through the University of Massachusetts-Boston Urban Harbors Institute at cost ($6.00 including shipping). To order, click here.
• The Gulf of Maine Marine Habitat Primer - The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment has published the Gulf of Maine Marine Habitat Primer detailing the types of habitats found in the Gulf of Maine region. The Primer, written by CZM, provides resource managers and others with scientific data and descriptive characterizations to assist with evaluating and managing marine habitats.

Coastal Socioeconomic Data Website - NOAA's Management and Budget Special Projects Office has established a website on Spatial Trends in Coastal Socioeconomics (STICS) to increase awareness and improve access to census information. STICS offers time series, geo-referenced data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, including demographic, housing, personal income, and employment information. The website enables searches by coastal regions, watersheds, states, counties, and other boundary types. Display tools include data retrieval, maps, analyses, and assessments.

Aquatic Invasive Species Website Designed for Hobbyists - NOAA, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Sea Grant, and other organizations have created the website Habitattitude, to reach out to aquarium hobbyists, backyard pond owners, water gardeners, and others concerned about aquatic resource conservation and the threat posed by the spread of nuisance aquatic species. Habitattitude seeks to promote responsible behavior by educating hobbyists on invasive aquatic species and their adverse impacts on natural waterways and by providing guidance for safe disposal of unwanted aquatic plants or fish.

Eastern United States Invasive Plants Information - Information about identification characteristics, distribution, and control options for 97 tree, shrub, vine, grass, fern, forb, and aquatic plant species that are invading the eastern United States has been posted online. The website includes PDF files and Internet links to recent publications by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council, and other agencies. The information is also available (at no charge) on CD-ROM. To request a copy, contact Lisa Cress at lcress@fs.fed.us.

Job Postings
Conservation Associate/Wild Fisheries Specialist - The New England Aquarium seeks a wild fisheries specialist to act as an independent auditor for sustainable seafood sourcing projects as part of the Aquarium's Sustainable Fisheries Initiative. Qualified candidates should have a bachelor's degree (master's preferred) in marine policy, marine science, or fisheries science. For more information about the position, click here. Application information is available by clicking here.

Calendar
Secretary Herzfelder to Announce CZM Grants in Chatham - Secretary Herzfelder will announce Coastal NPS and WRP grants in Chatham on April 1 at 10:15 a.m. in the Selectmen's Room of Chatham Town Hall, which is located at 549 Main Street, Chatham.

Presentation of Secretary's Award for Excellence in Ocean Education - EOEA will present the Secretary's Award for Excellence in Ocean Education at the Massachusetts Marine Educator's (MME) 29th Annual Woods Hole Meeting and Conference on Saturday April 30 at 9 a.m. at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. This award, part of CZM's Ocean Education Program, recognizes a marine educator for his or her outstanding contributions to marine education efforts and for demonstrating effective and innovative teaching and/or distinguished performance in marine education.

Salem Sound Coastwatch Training Workshops - Salem Sound Coastwatch is hosting marine invasive species monitoring workshops on May 14 and May 22 as part of its Coastal Habitat Invasives Monitoring Program (CHIMP), a volunteer-based monitoring program enabling citizens to collect meaningful data on marine invaders affecting local aquatic ecosystems. This is a great time to get involved--Salem Sound Coastwatch, CZM, and the Massachusetts Bays Program have recently developed tools to help monitors zero-in on aquatic invaders, including a series of laminated invasive species identification cards. For more information about the workshops and other Salem Sound Coastwatch events, click here.

Bay State Land Use Reform Forum - The Second Massachusetts Forum on Land Use Reform, sponsored by the Coalition for Zoning Reform/Zoning Reform Working Group, is scheduled for Wednesday, April 6 from 10:00 a.m.to 12:00 p.m. at Suffolk University Law School, 120 Tremont Street, Boston. The Forum will provide information and updates about the proposed Massachusetts Land Use Reform Act and focus on the land use planning challenges the Commonwealth is facing. Click here for more information about the forum. To register for this free event, contact Don Keeran at the Association to Preserve Cape Cod at (877) 955-4142 or at (508) 362-4226.

Stormwater Process Demonstration Workshops - The University of New Hampshire (UNH) Stormwater Center, part of the UNH Environmental Research Group, is holding best management practice technology demonstration workshops at its campus field facility on April 16, June 1 and 22, and July 6 and 27. The facility tests technologies that are designed to improve stormwater quality and houses three categories of stormwater treatment processes, including conventional structures, LID designs, and manufactured devices. For more information on these workshops and others the Center offers, click here. To register (there is a $25 fee), contact Maddy Wasiewski at Maddy.Wasiewski@unh.edu, or at (603) 862-2206.

Wetlands Educator Workshop - Environmental Concern and the Londonderry, New Hampshire, Middle School are sponsoring a workshop based on Environmental Concern's WOW! The Wonders Of Wetlands, an Educator's Guide on April 16. For more information about the course and the educator's guide, click here. To register for the April 16th event (there is a $45 fee), go to click here.

Watershed and Salt Marsh Symposia at NEERS Spring Meeting - The New England Estuarine Research Society (NEERS) will host its Spring 2005 meeting from April 28-30 at the Captain's Quarters in Eastham. The event includes a full-day symposium on April 28, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Titled Water to Water: Watersheds and the Estuaries They Affect, the symposium is aimed at synthesizing information relative to eutrophication and wastewater issues and will include a section on how these issues are affecting Cape Cod. On April 30, NEERS will host a mini-symposium discussing salt marsh restoration, organized by the CZM Wetland Restoration Program's Bruce Carlisle and the Massachusetts Audubon Society's Robert Buchsbaum. Other highlights include paper and poster presentations and student presentations. To pre-register for these events, fill out the registration form and submit it by April 13. For more information about the NEERS Spring 2005 meeting and symposia, go to click here.

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

• Soundings Institute Community-Based Practices Conference - The Soundings Institute will be holding its Advancing Community-Based Practices in Marine Conservation and Management conference from April 10-13 in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, Canada. For information, click here.
• Teacher Training Course
- The Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve final Oceans and Coasts in the Classroom session (a training course for Grade 6-10 teachers) will be held on April 7 from 6-9 p.m. at the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary headquarters located at 175 Edward Foster Road in Scituate. The session, Engineering and Technology in Marine Science, is free of charge. For more information, click here, and scroll down to "Oceans and Coasts in the Classroom." To register, contact Pat Harcourt at pat.harcourt@state.ma.us or at (508) 457-0495 ext. 106.
• Stellwagen Bank Lecture Series
- The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History and the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary are offering a lecture course, titled Ocean Treasure: The Natural and Cultural Resources of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, on Tuesday evenings from 6-9 p.m. through May 14 at the museum in Brewster.
• Solutions to Coastal Disasters 2005 - This conference will be held May 8-11 in Charleston, South Carolina. For information, click here.
• Coastal Zone '05
- Titled Balancing on the Edge, this conference will be held July 17-21 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and will focus on balancing the issues of land and sea. For more information and to register, click here.
• Oceans 2005 Conference - The Marine Technology Society and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Oceanic Engineering Society will host this conference, titled One Ocean, from September 19-23 in Washington, D.C.
• Waterfront Center Urban Waterfronts Conference - The 23rd annual international conference of the Waterfront Center, Urban Waterfronts 23: Gathering By the Waters will be held from November 11-13 in Savannah, Georgia, at the Hilton Savannah Desoto.
• 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.