What's New

CZ-Tip - Search the Seashore for Sunken Ships this Spring - The next time you walk the beach in search of strange things washed up from this winter's intense storms, keep a watchful eye for half-buried timbers and other artifacts from long-ago shipwrecks. Every year, evidence of archeological finds from under the sea is either washed up or uncovered by winter waves and tides. Given that the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources (BUAR) estimates that more than 3,000 vessels have wrecked off the Massachusetts coast, there is a true treasure trove of material to be discovered. And though some of these objects are seemingly quite ordinary (e.g., a piece of wood), they should be handled with care-any find has the potential to be an important piece of maritime history. To learn more about the importance of underwater archeological finds, who is responsible for protecting them, and how to safeguard these potential treasures, see CZ-Tip - Uncovering Maritime History at the Shore.

CZ-Tip - Identifying Native and Non-Native Plants in Your Coastal Garden - With a snowy and windy winter behind you and the plant buds just beginning to burst, you may be eager to get outside and take stock of the plants on your coastal property. What is that hardy tree that withstood the heavy heapings of snow, ice, and wind? What is that shrub that survived the salt spray? What is that vine growing so aggressively in the corner? As a coastal property owner, you likely have many interesting species of native coastal plants growing in your yard-those that are hardy enough to withstand extreme conditions, such as wind, waves, overwash, salt-spray, and drought. Unfortunately, however, many species of non-native invasive plants may be surviving and thriving just as well, if not better. These invasive plants arrived through some type of human introduction, either intentionally or accidentally, and are now out-competing the native plants that have been here since pre-Colonial times. To help you identify and differentiate between the natives and the invasives, this tip will provide specific descriptions and photographs of a handful of plants commonly found on the coast, as well as links for more information on identifying and eradicating the nuisance species.Check out CZ-Tip - Coastal Plant Identification: Common Native and Invasive Species Found on the Massachusetts Coast for details on native plants for coastal gardens.

Designated Port Areas - To promote and protect marine industrial activities, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has established 11 Designated Port Areas (DPAs), which include: Gloucester Inner Harbor, Beverly Harbor, Salem Harbor, Lynn, Mystic River, Chelsea Creek, East Boston, South Boston, Weymouth Fore River, New Bedford-Fairhaven, and Mount Hope Bay. These DPAs have particular physical and operational features important for commercial fishing, shipping, and other vessel-related marine commercial activities, and/or for manufacturing, processing, and production activities that require marine transportation or need large volumes of water for withdrawal or discharge. The new DPA website provides official boundary maps for these 11 DPAs, CZM contact information, and other DPA information.

Massachusetts Ocean Resource Information System - In January 2012, CZM released a new-and-improved version of the Massachusetts Ocean Resource Information System, or MORIS. This web-based coastal mapping tool provides detailed geographic data used for ocean planning, coastal development, public safety, tourism, transportation planning, and marine environmental protection. Users can interactively view various data layers, create and share maps, and download the data for use in a Geographic Information System (GIS). While designed for coastal management professionals, MORIS can be easily used by anyone interested in these data and maps. With the faster, modernized MORIS, users can display new basemaps (such as Google and Bing), easily search available data layers, print and save maps, change map symbols, directly access select federal and other external data sources, and readily share and modify the 100% open source code.

Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Policy Guide - On September 23, 2011, NOAA's Office of Coastal and Ocean Management (OCRM) approved a routine program change to the Massachusetts Coastal Management Program, which went into effect when the approval was noticed in the October 4 Environmental Monitor. The approval included the formal adoption of the Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Policy Guide - October 2011. For the purposes of federal consistency review, the new Policy Guide includes the enforceable policies of the Ocean Plan, updates to underlying legal authorities, and reinstating certain Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorizations on the list of federal license or permit activities reviewed without prior approval.

Coastal Landscaping - Landscaping with native plants can help coastal property owners prevent storm damage and erosion, provide wildlife habitat, and reduce coastal water pollution—all while improving a property's visual appeal and natural character. CZM's Coastal Landscaping website presents detailed information on the benefits of these landscaping techniques, step-by-step instructions on landscaping coastal areas, plant lists and photos, sample landscape plans, permitting information, and more.

Jobs

• There are currently no employment opportunities at CZM. Please check back later or see the Commonwealth Employment Opportunities website for additional state opportunities.

Grants/RFRs

• Buzzards Bay Watershed Municipal Minigrant Program - The Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program (BBNEP) is seeking proposals from eligible Buzzards Bay watershed communities for projects that help meet the BBNEP's goals to protect and restore water quality and living resources in Buzzards Bay and its surrounding watershed. A total of $121,608 of federal funds is available. To view the Request for Responses, visit the Comm-PASS website and search for document number "ENV13 CZM 10." For more information about the program and past awards, see the BBNEP funding web page. Proposals are due by June 27.

Publications

• CZ-Mail - May 2013
• CZ-Tips - web pages produced by CZM to help people get to, protect, and enjoy the Commonwealth's coast.
• Massachusetts Climate Change Adaptation Report
• Updated! - Monitoring Marine Invasive Species: Guidance and Protocols for Volunteer Monitoring Groups

Project Review/Public Comment

• Dam and Seawall Repair or Removal Fund Public Hearings - On May 21, EEA will hold public hearings in Boston and Scituate on the proposed regulations Provisions for Administration of the Dam and Seawall Repair or Removal Fund, 301 CMR 15.00 (PDF, 102 KB). The Boston hearing is from 10 a.m. to noon in the 2nd Floor Conference Room D at 100 Cambridge Street. The Scituate hearing is from 2-4 p.m. in the Selectmen Hearing Room at Scituate Town Hall, 600 Chief Justice Cushing Way. Testimony may be presented orally or in writing at each hearing, or submitted by May 29 to John Clarkeson at john.clarkeson@state.ma.us.

Calendar

• BUAR Public Meeting - On May 30 at 1:30 p.m., CZM's Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources (BUAR) will hold its bi-monthly public meeting at CZM's Boston Office in the Large Conference Room. The preliminary agenda includes discussion/approval of minutes for the March 28 meeting, one isolated find exemption, and discussion of permittee, outreach and research activities. For more information, contact BUAR Director, Victor Mastone, at victor.mastone@state.ma.us.
  
  
• Check out the CZM Calendar for more CZM and coastal related listings.