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CZ-Mail All links on this web page were current and working on the date of publication.
May Rains Impact Coastal Resources May's record rainfall caused widespread problems throughout the Commonwealth's coastal areas, especially in Essex County. Sewage treatment system failures, coupled with contaminated runoff, resulted in the closure of shellfish beds from the New Hampshire border to Cape Cod. Thousands of homes suffered extensive flood damage throughout the region. The Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program has developed a report that provides details about the storm's impacts. See May 2006 Extreme Rain Event and the Response of the Coastal Waters in the Massachusetts Bays System. A Major Federal Disaster Declaration was issued by President George W. Bush for those most impacted by the severe flooding beginning on May 12, 2006. The President's action makes federal disaster aid available to affected individuals and businesses in Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk Counties. For all the details about federal aid, flood recovery and cleanup tips, emergency contacts, and information about contributing to the flood relief, see the Massachusetts Flood Recovery Information web page. Another concern with the hot weather on the way is contamination at the beach. While bacteria concentrations tend to decrease to levels below that required for a beach closure within about 2-3 days after a rainstorm, it is still early in the season and many beaches are not being tested yet. Check with the local beach manager or lifeguard to ensure safe waters. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health's (DPH) Website includes the latest testing data (if available). Red Tide Bloom Returns to the Commonwealth's Waters Once again, due to the spread of toxic red tide, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has taken action to prohibit the harvesting, sale, or possession of shellfish from a large portion of the Commonwealth's coastal waters. For the latest information about the red tide bloom in Massachusetts, including an up to date map of the open areas, and a red tide information page, go to the DMF Website. In addition, DPH has posted a public health fact sheet about red tide. June is Hurricane Preparedness Month in the Commonwealth Governor Mitt Romney has declared June to be Massachusetts Hurricane Preparedness Month. The Atlantic Ocean hurricane season begins on June 1 and once again a fairly active season is predicted. Updated predictions and the latest hurricane information are available on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Hurricane Center Website. To help prepare, see the CZM Hurricane Preparedness Kit. Also, see CZM's 2002 Coastlines magazine for more information on Massachusetts hurricanes and their potential impacts, articles on how to build and rebuild to withstand a storm, and information on a wide range of tools available for reducing risks in hurricane-prone areas. Coastal Hazards Commission Update On May 8, in Boston, the Coastal Hazards Commission (CHC) heard presentations about the potential impacts of sea-level rise and hazard mitigation planning on Cape Cod. This meeting was followed by five late May forums held in each of CZM's coastal regions to solicit input from citizens on local storm damage and erosion issues, concerns, and potential solutions. A summary of these forums will soon be available on the CHC Website. The next Commission meeting, scheduled for June 12 in Dennis, will feature a talk about tropical and extra-tropical storms from Dave Vallee of the National Weather Service. In addition, the recently completed South Shore Coastal Hazards Characterization Atlas and a summary of the public forums will be presented. More information about the Commission, including meeting summaries and selected meeting presentations, is available on the CHC Website. President and EPA Honor Marshfield High School Students At a White House Ceremony on April 20, President George W. Bush and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented a group of Marshfield High School students with a 2005 President's Environmental Youth Award for their efforts to reduce pollution in the South River. The students, Jacquelyn Archibald, Elisa Caron, Jessica Doolan, Nolin Greene, Kelly March, Jesse Miller, Emily Parsons, and Brendan Robinson, were recognized for building a rain garden behind Marshfield Town Hall. This rain garden, also known as a bioretention system, may not look like much more that some plantings at the edge of the parking lot, but it serves an important purpose—filtering contaminants out of stormwater, before draining into the South River. The project, designed with funding from CZM's Coastal Pollution Remediation Grant Program and constructed with money raised by the students, was completed last August. ''These students set an example for all of us and demonstrate that each citizen can make a difference in preserving the environment for tomorrow," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England office, in a EPA press release. ''We applaud the innovation and determination these students showed through this project and feel proud that our future environmental leaders are in our midst." View the complete press release, including a photograph of the students with President Bush. Restoration Partners Celebrate Accomplishments This summer, CZM's Wetland Restoration Program will join NOAA's Habitat Restoration Center, the Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, and a host of other local, state, and federal partners to celebrate the completion of two salt marsh restoration projects. On June 23, the Chelsea Collaborative will host a dedication ceremony for the Locke Street Salt Marsh Restoration Project in Chelsea. Completed last October, the Locke Street Project involved removal of over 1500 tons of accumulated road sediment from a one-acre salt marsh situated between Mill Creek and a Route One exit ramp. The restoration partners are eager to recognize generous contributions from Charter Environmental, Waste Management Inc., ERM Inc., Alpha Analytical, and the BSC Group. On July 10, the Thornton Burgess Society will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open a new pedestrian footbridge constructed at the former State Game Farm in East Sandwich. The new bridge replaces a failing culvert and water control structure that prevented the full passage of tides upstream. With funding and support from Ducks Unlimited, the Conservation Law Foundation, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Duke Energy, and the Horsley Witten Group, the old structure was demolished and removed in April. A new open channel was created to provide a more efficient hydrologic connection between Scorton Creek and the eight-acre salt marsh upstream. The new wooden bridge was constructed by a group of Thornton Burgess volunteers. Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel Holds Spring Meeting On May 22-26, the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel (NEANS Panel) held its spring meeting on Cape Cod. The NEANS Panel met in Hyannis to discuss regional aquatic nuisance species management priorities, including plans to initiate a region-wide eradication effort for Hydrilla verticillata, an aquatic plant that has invaded freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers throughout the country. The NEANS Panel also hosted a meeting of the Federal Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force, who toured beaches in Harwich laden with the invasive green algae Codium fragile. While in Harwich, the Task Forced met with Tom Leach, the town Harbormaster, to discuss local efforts to manage the noxious algae over the last ten years. The NEANS Panel and the ANS Task Force also visited tide pools in Sandwich that contained the invasive colonial tunicate Didemnum and a variety of other marine invaders. For more information about the NEANS Panel and its management activities, see http://www.neans.org/, or go to the ANS Task Force Website.. It's Getting Hot Out There-Get Your Free Coast Guide Now! With the hot weather approaching, the Massachusetts Coast Guide to Boston and the North Shore can help you get to nearly 400 public access sites (from Salisbury to Hingham), ranging from expansive beaches with parking and concession stands to more out-of-the-way areas with scenic vistas. Developed by CZM, this publication contains 22 maps, descriptions of access spots, photos of a variety of sites, transportation information, and more. To get your free copy now, e-mail your address to czm@state.ma.us, or stop by the CZM Boston office at 251 Causeway Street from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are on the 8th floor. Get directions. You can preview select portions of Coast Guide online. CZM Staff & People Coastal Structures Fellow - CZM welcomes Claire Lafitte Enterline as a Coastal Structure Inventory Data Collector. Claire, a graduate from Boston University's Environmental Science Program, will be photographing and collecting data about manmade structures along the North Shore of Massachusetts (Salisbury to Lynn). This data will be incorporated into the Massachusetts Ocean Resource Information System (MORIS) and will provide needed information to assist with post-storm reconstruction. Invasive Species Specialist - CZM also welcomes Charles Hernick as an Invasive Species Specialist. Charles will assist Massachusetts and other Northeastern states to develop early detection and rapid response protocols for aquatic nuisance species. He will be working to develop a directory of taxonomists from the New England region, refine risk assessment protocols for new invaders, and develop rapid response plans for high risk species. Charles recently completed a master's degree in International Relations & Environmental Policy at Boston University. Grants/Funding Opportunities Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Program Grants - CZM will host pre-RFR information sessions on the Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) and Coastal Nonpoint Source (Coastal NPS) Grant Programs. All those interested in applying for funding or discussing potential projects should attend one of the following meetings:
Smart Growth Technical Assistance Grants - EOEA is seeking proposals for Smart Growth Technical Assistance Grants. These grants offer technical assistance to municipalities to improve sustainable development practices and to provide a mechanism to achieve the goals and specific concerns of municipal community development or Master Plans. Up to $30,000 per community may be available. To view the Request for Responses, go to the Comm-Pass website and search for document number "ENV 07 POL 01." Proposals are due by June 29. Wetlands Program Development Grants - EPA is seeking applications for Wetland Program Development Grants that provide eligible applicants an opportunity to conduct projects that promote investigations, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to water pollution. Proposals are due by June 7. Resource Conservation Challenge Grant Program - EPA New England is seeking initial proposals for Resource Conservation Challenge Grants. Up to $130,000 is available for grants that promote solid waste management and pollution prevention. Eligible organizations include public authorities, federally recognized tribal governments, and non-profit organizations, including universities and hospitals. Initial proposals are due June 9. Full proposals are due July 19. Reminders - The following funding opportunity listed in the last CZ-Mail is still available:
Stormwater Center Report - The Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) has released the first year of data from the Stormwater Center at the University of New Hampshire. This inaugural report presents the first year monitoring results for 12 stormwater treatment systems, including each system's success at addressing water quality and quantity. The center's field site is unique in its capacity to test stormwater treatments, side-by-side, under strictly controlled conditions. These Dunes Aren't Made for Walking - Just in time for beach weather, Woods Hole Sea Grant has updated and reprinted the popular "These Dunes Aren't Made For Walking" Posters, which describe the importance of dunes as a first line of defense against ocean waves and caution beachgoers against trampling the dune plants when walking to the beach. Printed on durable, waterproof paper, these 11" x 14" posters will withstand a season of sun, salt, and wind. Sea Grant's dune posters are available at no charge to conservation commissions, town or private beach committees or associations, and coastal property owners. Send poster requests to seagrant@whoi.edu. Greenscapes Newsletter - The May 2006 Greenscapes e-newsletter is now available online. This issue provides details about the Greenscapes program workshop series, discounts on a variety of products, and much more. The Greenscapes program is a regional outreach effort sponsored by the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, the Massachusetts Bays Program, and several South Shore municipalities. To subscribe to this newsletter, send a blank email to greenscapes-subscribe@lists.nsrwa.org. Live and Fresh Seafood Pamphlet - The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Sea Grant College Program has developed an educational pamphlet—Live and Fresh Seafood: Into the Pan, Not into the Wild—to encourage people not to release or dump live and fresh seafood and seafood waste into the wild. The pamphlet is part of an outreach campaign to teach people what they can do to prevent the introduction of marine and freshwater invasive seafood, such as finfish, crabs, oysters, clams, turtles, algae, and any animals or plants that may travel on seafood and seafood products (hitchhikers). Available in Chinese, English, Khmer, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese, the pamphlet, including information about invasive species, is available at http://massbay.mit.edu/seafood. Wetlands Status Report - The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has released a report entitled, Conserving America's Wetlands 2006: Two Years of Progress Implementing the Presidents Goal. In 2004, the President set a goal to move beyond "no net loss" of wetlands and attain an overall increase in the amount and quality of wetlands in America. The report states that 1,797,000 acres of wetlands have been restored, created, protected, or improved. This includes 588,000 acres of created wetlands that did not exist in 2004. Shellfish Restoration Guide - The Nature Conservancy and NOAA have published A Practitioners Guide to the Design and Monitoring of Shellfish Restoration Projects. The guide was designed to help restoration practitioners design and monitor shellfish restoration projects that restore the populations of target shellfish species including the ecosystem services associated with healthy shellfish populations. This publication provides advice for conservationists, resource managers and others interested in understanding basic approaches to the design and implementation of shellfish restoration projects. For hard copies of the guide, contact the Nature Conservancy. Marine Mammal Reports - The National Marine Fisheries Service has released the final 2005 Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports. Still Available: This CZM publication, listed in the last CZ-Mail, is still available:
Websites
National Boating Safety Advisory Council Vacancies - The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is seeking applications for membership on the National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC). The 21 member NBSAC advises the Coast Guard on matters related to recreational boating safety. The application deadline is September 1. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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