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CZ-Mail November 2006 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 at http://www.mass.gov/czm/. If you have suggestions for CZ-Mail, would like your name added to the mailing list, or would like your name removed, please email your request to CZ-Mail@state.ma.us. All links on this web page were current and working on the date of publication.
Coastal Hazards Commission Update The Coastal Hazards Commission (CHC) working group chairs and staff gathered on October 26 to discuss the public comments and the draft recommendations. The working groups will continue work on revisions to the recommendations through November in preparation for the next Commission meeting in January 2007. See the Commission's Website for more information about the CHC, including meeting agendas and summaries, selected presentations, and draft recommendations. Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Projects Nominated On October 27, CZM nominated two land acquisition projects to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for potential Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) funding. Proposals selected by NOAA will be forwarded to Congress for funding consideration in Federal Fiscal Year 2008. The CELCP projects nominated this year are the Herring River Acquisition and Restoration Project in Wellfleet and the Apponagansett Bay Conservation Project in Dartmouth. The Herring River Project would purchase 25 acres, including 1,380 feet of Herring River estuary frontage, not only protecting the land, but allowing a 1,100 acre restoration project to move forward—the largest salt marsh restoration project in New England. The Apponagansett Bay Conservation Project would purchase 74 acres, including 3,500 feet of the bay's shoreline—significantly expanding the area's public conservation holdings. CZM is hopeful that both of these projects will be successful in the federal process, and receive federal funding. CZM expects a continued annual priority setting process to nominate the state's best projects to NOAA for CELCP funding. To discuss potential CELCP land acquisition projects, email CZM CELCP Coordinator, David Janik, or call (508) 291-3625 x12. Secretary Golledge Announces Smart Growth Grants On October 27, EOEA Secretary, Robert W. Golledge, Jr., announced that 51 communities throughout the Commonwealth will receive grants to assist inland use planning and smart growth efforts. In total over $800,000 in funding has been awarded through EOEA's Smart Growth Technical Assistance Grant Program. Projects awarded include: development of stormwater and low impact development bylaws; open space residential subdivision bylaws; mixed-use city and town center zoning districts; and transit oriented development zoning districts. For additional information about CZM's smart growth initiatives, check out the Coastal Smart Growth Program Website. EOEA Desalination Policy On October 12, CZM staff presented the draft EOEA desalination policy to the Massachusetts Water Resources Commission. The talk underscored the growing interest in desalinating coastal waters to augment municipal water supplies and the need for a comprehensive and transparent permitting process. The draft policy draws from existing policies and regulations and offers incentives in the form of decreased monitoring to proponents that avoid sensitive habitats and/or that apply the most environmentally protective technologies and operating procedures. In the coming months, EOEA expects the final desalination policy to be released for public comment. For more information, contact Todd Callaghan. Citizens Monitoring for Marine Invasive Species Workshop On October 23, CZM held an invasive species monitoring workshop at the New England Aquarium. Citizens Monitoring for Marine Invasive Species: A regional approach to covering the coast was sponsored by the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species (NEANS) Panel as part of its effort to create a more interconnected regional invasive species monitoring effort. The day-long workshop highlighted the efforts of volunteers and groups across Massachusetts, Maine, and Prince Edward Island, and included an update on the new regional invasive species database and website. Presenters included Massachusetts members of the Marine Invader Monitoring and Information Collaborative (MIMIC), a network of volunteer monitoring groups coordinated by CZM. The workshop also featured a presentation by Adriaan Gittenberger of Naturalis, the Netherlands National Museum of Natural History, on the lessons learned from 30 years of volunteer monitoring in the Netherlands. The day wrapped up with a round-table discussion on how to strengthen existing monitoring efforts, build links between groups, and more effectively address this global challenge. For more information, or to request a copy of the agenda and presentation abstracts, contact Charles Hernick. CZM Grant Awards to Be Announced in Early November CZM will soon announce the recipients for the FY 2007 Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) and Coastal Nonpoint Source (Coastal NPS) Grant Programs. In this latest grant round, CZM received a record number of applications to both programs, and the quality and range of projects submitted continues to improve each year. Funding decisions are being finalized and awards will be announced in the next few weeks. The grant announcement will be posted on the CZM Website in the coming weeks. Grants/Funding Opportunities Wetlands Restoration Program Grants - CZM's Wetlands Restoration Program (WRP) has issued a Request for Responses (RFR) seeking proposals for FY 2007 wetland restoration grants for designated priority projects. Approximately $200,000 may be available for grants that fund actual construction and related activities, and/or pre- and post-construction monitoring. To view the RFR, visit the Comm-PASS Website and search for document number "ENV 07 CZM 04." Responses are due by December 1. CICCEET Environmental Technology Funding - The Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) is seeking proposals for the 2007 Environmental Technology Development (ETD) Program. Through this program, CICEET makes strategic investments in the development, demonstration, and application of tools to detect, prevent, and reverse the impacts of coastal pollution and habitat degradation to coastal ecosystems and communities. This solicitation is open to U.S. scientists and innovators from academia, private industry, and the public sector that seek to develop tools that meet the priority needs of coastal management. Funding for Habitat Management on Private Lands - MassWildlife's Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) is seeking proposals from individual landowners, land trusts, sportsmen's clubs, farmland owners, and other conservation organizations for wildlife habitat management funding. To view the RFR, visit the Comm-PASS Website and search for document number "FWELP-2007-1." Applications are due by December 22. Reminders - The following funding opportunity listed in the last CZ-Mail is still available:
Priority Coastal Wetland Restoration Projects - CZM's Wetlands Restoration Program (WRP) has issued its annual call for Priority Coastal Wetland Restoration Projects. Each fiscal year, depending on available program funds, existing workload, and staff resources, WRP designates a limited number of priority projects. Sites that are accepted as priority projects are eligible to receive technical services funded by WRP, such as wetland delineation, elevation survey, mapping and site planning, hydraulic analyses, impact assessments, title and deed exams, permitting, and monitoring. Designated priority projects are also eligible to apply for funding under WRP's grants program to support monitoring and construction-related needs. For FY07, the anticipated values of WRP-funded technical assistance and grants programs are $400,000 and $200,000, respectively. Projects designated as priority projects by WRP in previous rounds (FY04 - FY06) do not need to re-apply. To view the Request for Responses, visit the Comm-PASS Website and search for document number "ENV 07 CZM 03." The priority project nomination period is open until May 15, 2007. Publications Guide to Reducing Household Hazardous Products Use - The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) has produced A Healthy Environment Starts at Home: A Guide to Reducing Our Use of Household Hazardous Products. Households can be a significant source of toxic chemicals entering storm drains and the sewer system. The use of environmentally safe alternatives for many household products can be as effective and also cheaper. This guide provides important information about reducing household pollutants that impact sewer systems and coastal waters. To receive a hardcopy, MWRA customers can call (617) 305-5927. Pilot Study Assesses Nutrient Impacts in Gulf of Maine - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment and Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) have published the study Improving Methods and Indicators for Evaluating Coastal Water Eutrophication. The assessment method will serve as the basis to update NOAA's 1999 National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment and allow transfer to other regions. The full update will be released in early 2007 at http://www.eutro.us. To receive a hard copy, email Dr. Suzanne Bricker or call (301) 713-3020. Boundary Making Guide for Marine Managed Areas - The handbook entitled Marine Managed Areas: Best Practices for Boundary Making is a brief, best practices guide for writing and developing marine boundaries within a geographic information system framework for federal, state, or local marine managed areas. Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Newsletter - The October 2006 issue of MPA News is now available online. This issue includes the article "Examining the Role of MPAs in Ecosystem-Based Management, and Vice Versa: Five Examples." Northeast Climate Change Report - Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment, a collaboration between the Union of Concerned Scientists and a team of independent experts, has released Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast. This 30-page report outlines the findings of new state-of-the-art research on recent and projected changes in the regional climate—from rising temperatures to reduced snow cover, increased sea level, and more extreme weather events. United Nations Report on the Marine Environment - The United Nations Environment Program has released the report The State of the Marine Environment, which noted "good progress is being made on three of nine key indicators," including a drastic reduction (90%) of oil pollution since the mid 1980s. The report also described a turn in "the wrong direction" for four other indicators including dumping wastewater, garbage, and excess nutrients into the water. The report also flags issues in need of urgent attention, including declining river flows in many of the world's rivers, coastal and freshwater wetlands, and sea level rise due to climate change. Still Available - These CZM publications, listed in the last CZ-Mail, are still available:
New Dock Visualization Website - Dock permitting can be contentious. Each dock can be designed and constructed to minimize its environmental and aesthetic impacts, but the cumulative effects of docks can be significant. The visualization tools and case studies presented on this website are deigned to help local and state officials plan and act in advance of development to mitigate the potential negative effects of docks. Using Green Pond in Falmouth, Massachusetts, as a case study, this website allows users to explore the potential visual impacts of different regulations on specific locations on Green Pond. FEMA Maps Online - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood maps—scanned copies of the original paper maps—are now available online. Users can create and print a one-page flood map or FIRMette—a portion of the full flood map for the specific street address. To create a map for any address, see the FEMA Website. In the upper right portion of the page, select "Public Flood Map" and enter the complete address include house number, and then select "Product Search." When the map listing is displayed, click on the "view" icon. The full FEMA Federal Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) will be displayed. Click on "Make a FIRMette." On the left side of the screen, select a page size for your map. Now click and move the pink box over the area of interest. Once finished, select "Adobe PDF" or "Image File" under "Create FIRMette." After a moment, the FIRMette will be displayed. Select "Save your FIRMette." The file will be saved to the computer desktop as a file beginning with FM. Do you need help reading or interpreting flood zones? The 2002 edition of Coastlines included the article—The Art and Science of Identifying Flood Zones. DEP eNewsletter - The Autumn 2006 eNewsletter from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (DEP) highlights DEP accomplishments, new regulations, upcoming public hearings, and the latest environmental enforcement actions. Subscribe to future issues. NOAA Releases Expanded World Ocean Database - NOAA has released a significantly expanded World Ocean Database 2005, the world's largest collection of scientific information about oceans, dating as far back as 1800. This update of the previous 2001 databases contains 900,000 new temperature profiles and captures 29 different categories of scientific information from the oceans, including temperature, salinity, oxygen level, and nutrient content. The new database, compiled by the NOAA's Ocean Climate Laboratory, also includes information about tritium, freons, noble gases, and other isotopes found in the oceans. Ecosystem Based Management Tools Website - The Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) Tools Network has developed a website that provides a comprehensive source for information and tools for coastal and marine ecosystem-based management. These tools include a searchable online EBM tool database, training and funding opportunities, coastal and marine data sources, and meetings and conferences on EBM tools. Greenscapes E-Newsletters - The September and October 2006 Greenscapes e-newsletters are now available online. These issues provide details about the Greenscapes fall lawn care calendar, home gardener web links, composting tips, fall bulb planting, winter reading suggestions, and 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. Coastal Projects Under CZM Review Northeast Gateway Public Hearings - The U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) have announced the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Northeast Gateway Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project to be located off Cape Ann in Massachusetts Bay. Public hearings will be held at Gloucester High School in Gloucester on November 8 and at Salem State College in Salem on November 9. Both hearings will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and will be preceded by an informational open house from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. To submit comments and view the FEIS, the application, and associated documentation see docket number 22219 at http://www.uscg.mil/. Comments are due by November 25. The project is also being reviewed by the state as an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Comments may be submitted as part of that process on or before November 14 to: Secretary Robert W. Golledge, Jr. EOEA, Attn: MEPA Office Richard Bourre, EOEA No.13473/13474 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900 Boston MA 02114 Neptune Public Hearings - The U.S. Coast Guard and MARAD have announced the availability of the FEIS for the Neptune LNG Project to be located off Cape Ann in Massachusetts Bay. Public hearings will be held at Gloucester High School in Gloucester on November 14 and at Salem State College in Salem on November 15. Both hearings will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and will be preceded by an informational open house from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. To submit comments and view the FEIS, the application, and associated documentation see docket number 22611 at http://www.uscg.mil/. Comments are due by December 2. The project is also being reviewed by the state as an EIR. Comments may be submitted as part of that process on or before November 28 to: Secretary Robert W. Golledge, Jr. EOEA, Attn: MEPA Office Richard Bourre, EOEA No.13473/13474 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900 Boston MA 02114 Public Comment New England Fishery Management Council Public Hearing - On November 14, in Gloucester, the New England Fishery Management Council will hold a public hearing on a draft amendment to all its fishery management plans (FMPs). This amendment would establish a standardized bycatch reporting methodology (SBRM) for each FMP, as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Comments can be submitted at the hearing or by email at SBRMcomment@noaa.gov by December 29. Harmful Algal Bloom Report Available for Public Comment - The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) is seeking comments of the document A National Assessment of Efforts to Predict and Respond to Harmful Algal Blooms in U.S. Waters, which details current federal prediction and response efforts and highlights opportunities to advance those efforts at national and local scales. Submit comments electronically to Prediction.Response.Comments@noaa.gov by November 20. For more information, contact Quay Dortch. Reminders - The following comment opportunities listed in the last CZ-Mail are still open:
Land Management Conference - On November 3, the Putnam Conservation Institute will hold its Fourth Annual Conference—Managing Land & Visitors: Engaging People in Successful Action in Leominster. The full-day conference is devoted to caring for natural and historic places that are open to the public. State of Wellfleet Harbor Conference - On November 4, the Fourth Annual State of Wellfleet Harbor Conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Wellfleet Senior Center. Speakers are scheduled to talk about issues including sea level rise and coastal changes, salt marsh dieback, marine invasive species, river herring, diamondback terrapins, and the restoration of the Herring River. There will also be poster presentations and information on the Wellfleet Harbor Management Plan. For more information please contact Cynthia Franklin or call (508) 349-1633. Green Building Design Workshop Series - On November 9, and 16, Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary will host free workshops on green building design-how to incorporate environmentally friendly elements into your home or small business. The workshops are held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the sanctuary's new "green" Nature Center. Registration is encouraged. Sea Wall Walk - On November 10, Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary will host a Sea Wall Walk with Jim O'Connell, Coastal Processes Specialist for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute's Sea Grant Program. After a brief indoor presentation stroll the shorelines of Eastham and Wellfleet to see how human structures used to armor the coastline affect the natural coastal processes like erosion and deposition of sand. The walk will be from 9:00 a.m.-noon. Registration is required. Call (508) 349-2615. Mass Audubon Lectures and Walks - In November, Mass Audubon is hosting a series of lectures and walks at the Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary in Barnstable. On November 11 and 15, join Director Becky Harris to explore the shoals of Barnstable harbor at low tide in search of sea ducks, lingering migrants, and seashore creatures. On November 16, Ms. Harris will present the "Coastal Waterbird Program: Celebrating 20 Years of Protection and Stories from the Field." This will include the history of the program, an update on progress, interesting anecdotes, and lessons from researchers dedicated to plover and tern conservation. Programs are free and open to the public. Please register by email at iives@massaudubon.org, or call (508) 632-7475 x9350. MAPC Fall Meeting - On November 13, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) will hold its fall meeting in Lincoln. The event will feature the keynote address "How the New Administration Can Make Smart Growth Work for Everyone." The meeting will also include a talk about the state's new expedited permitting law and a discussion of technical assistance opportunities for cities and towns. Smart Growth Workshop - On November 15, Essex County Forum - Smart Growth for Livable Communities will present Building Support for Smart Growth Initiatives: Strategies for Consensus Building and Implementation—a workshop for planners, planning boards, selectmen, conservation commissions, historic commissions, economic development staff, and other interested citizens. This free workshop will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Rowley Free Public Library. Advanced registration is required. Email Susan Jones Moses or call (978) 948-3713. Build Boston Convention - On November 14-16, the Build Boston Convention will be held at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. Join thousands of architects, planners, and others at the largest regional tradeshow and convention for the design and construction industry. The November 15 sessions will include a full-day smart growth track. Smart Growth Conference - The Second Annual Massachusetts Smart Growth Conference will be held on December 1 in Worcester. The goal of this year's event is provide those concerned about growth and development with practical information to implement smart growth measures in their communities. Land and natural resource protection, housing, energy, transportation, and many other sustainable development issues will be covered in 18 breakout sessions. MetroFuture Working Sessions - On December 5 and 6, MetroFuture will unveil four scenarios for future development in the Boston area. MetroFuture is an initiative of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council created to identify how the metropolitan Boston region should grow through 2030. Land Conservation Conference—Call for Proposals - On March 24, 2007, the Putnam Conservation Institute and the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition will hold the 17th Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference in Worcester. This annual, day-long event provides land trust board members, staff, volunteers, and municipal commission members interested in land conservation with the information, skills, and connections needed for effective land conservation. Submit workshop proposals to pci@ttor.org by November 6. Forum on Coastal Socioeconomic Research—Call for Abstracts - The Center for Natural Resource Economics and Policy (CNREP) is seeking abstracts for CNREP 2007: Challenges of Natural Resource Economics & Policy, the 2nd National Forum on Socioeconomic Research in Coastal Systems. The conference will be held May 20-23, 2007, in New Orleans. Abstracts are due by February 15, 2007. Reminders - The following calendar items, posted in the last CZ-Mail, are still to come:
EOEA and DCR Award Municipal Seawall Repair Grants - On November 1, EOEA Secretary Robert W. Golledge and Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Commissioner Stephen H. Burrington announced $5 million in Municipal Seawall Repair Grant awards to 12 Massachusetts communities. Funded through a one-time FY 2006 legislative appropriation, these grants will specifically fund 17 urgently needed seawall repair projects that will reduce public safety threats. Each municipality will match the grant funds provided for each project, resulting in nearly $10 million of seawall repairs along the 1,500 miles of the Commonwealth's coastline. For more information, including a complete list of grant recipients and projects, see the DCR press release. Massachusetts Lighthouse for Free - The General Services Administration, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard are seeking parties interested in acquiring the Borden Flats Lighthouse, in Fall River. Subject to certain conditions, the lighthouse can be transferred at no cost to federal, state, or local agencies, nonprofit corporations, educational agencies, and community development organizations. Letters of interest are due by November 20. CICEET Awards Coastal Technology Funding - CICEET has awarded over $3.65 million to fund 15 technology development projects. Each project focuses on a priority challenge faced by natural resource managers in coastal states. Researchers from academia, industry, and the public sector will be developing tools to monitor harmful algal blooms and coastal water quality, manage nutrient pollution, treat contaminated sediments, and restore habitats. The work will take place at National Estuarine Reserve System sites throughout the country. President Bush Makes Statement on Sustainable Fisheries - In October, President George W. Bush, directed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in consultation with Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, to further strengthen the efforts of the United States to protect sustainable fisheries and to safeguard their effective use by calling for an end to destructive fishing practices, such as unregulated bottom trawling on the high seas. The President emphasized that it remains U.S. policy to support protection and use of sustainable fisheries as a food source and to meet the needs of commercial and recreational fishing. As part of this effort to end overfishing and rebuild depleted fisheries, the President called on Congress to pass the Magnuson Stevens fisheries reauthorization legislation. NMFS Seeks Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee Nominations - NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is seeking qualified nominees to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC). The MAFAC advises the Secretary of Commerce on all matters concerning living marine resources that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce. Send nominations to Laurel Bryant by November 20. NMFS Seeks Advisory Panel Nominations - NMFS is seeking qualified nominees to the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel. NMFS consults with and considers the comments and views of this panel when preparing and implementing fisheries management plans for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, sharks, and billfish. Email nominations identified by "I.D. 101206E'' to SF1.101206E@noaa.gov by November 27. MPA Federal Advisory Committee Nominations—Deadline Extended - The Department of Commerce (NOAA) is seeking nominations for membership on the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee, which was established to advise the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior on strategies and priorities for developing the national system of MPAs, and on practical approaches to further enhance and expand protection of new and existing MPAs. Email nominations to Lauren Wenzel by November 30. Drawbridge Operation Regulations: Saugus River - The U.S. Coast Guard is temporarily changing the drawbridge operations for the General Edwards SR1A Bridge, at mile 1.7, across the Saugus River between Lynn and Revere. This change allows the bridge to remain in the closed position from November 1 through April 30, 2007. This action is necessary to facilitate structural maintenance at the bridge. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Boston, MA 02114