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States, Territories, and Commonwealths and the U.S. Commission on Ocean
Policy
Tom Skinner, Director Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
September 5, 2003
Ocean Management
Issues in States, Territories, and
Commonwealths
CSO recommendations focus on changes at the federal level, with states, territories, and commonwealths partners in stewardship, management, and research
Jurisdictions have many common management issues, but focus on local or regional priorities
States, territories, and commonwealths have moved in to fill federal policy voids
Within a new national framework, states and regions have the opportunity to lead by example
States, territories, and commonwealths have moved forward on a number of coastal and ocean
management issues…
…including mountains-to-offshore waters comprehensive planning, cruise ship waste
management, ocean zoning, offshore energy production, sediment management, ecosystem
research, and habitat protection
A States Initiative for Regional Cooperation and Management: the Gulf of Maine Council
on the Marine Environment Voluntary association of MA, NH, ME, NS, and NB, and Canadian and U.S. federal agencies Focus on ecosystem health, but the Council also works on emerging issues, such as ocean zoning The Council has provided the institutional framework for GoMOOS, RARGOM, & NOAA community-based restoration grants
Challenges of Increased Demand on Ocean Resources
Absence of comprehensive ocean management
A “first come, first served” reactive approach to use allocation
Difficult to plan for or implement detailed ecosystem management
Zoning of private land accepted but no equivalent to manage access to and use of ocean resources
Proliferation of more exclusive use projects and activities
Increase in Ocean Uses in
Massachusetts Waters Characterized by shallow
offshore waters Relatively small, densely
populated state with numerous research institutions
Proximity to Nova Scotia, Europe across the Gulf of Maine
Optimal offshore wind patterns
Heavy recreational use An incubator for many new
marine-related technologies and the perfect breeding ground for user conflicts
Ocean Management is Quickly Becoming a Hot Public Policy
Issue
Offshore Windfarms as a Catalyst
Cape Wind: 130 wind turbine generators – 420 mw
Winergy: 7 proposed projects, 3 in state waters, 4 in federal waters
Almost 1,000 wind turbine generators have been proposed off the Massachusetts coast
Jurisdictional “doughnut hole” creates management issues with a discrete ecosystem
A Diversity of Ocean
Uses Pipelines, navigation channels, underwater cables, & other permitted uses in Boston Harbor Example of ocean “clutter” (Boston Globe)
Goals of the Massachusetts Ocean Management Initiative
Maximize public use, utility, and enjoyment of ocean resources with minimal impacts on ecosystems (habitat protection, biodiversity, water quality)
Obtain buy-in from federal ocean managers to provide seamless management of adjacent federal waters
Formalize management of coastal waters up to 200 miles offshore through a federal-state partnership
A Few Possible Outcomes
Comprehensively zoned coastal waters (geographic? Performance-based activities?)
Public Request for Proposals for limited areas to identify and evaluate potential uses and activities, and their comparative public benefit
Percentage allotment for each Massachusetts coastal region for specific uses (e.g., industrial use, aquaculture, marine protected areas)
Massachusetts Ocean Management Initiative: Lessons Learned
The public must perceive a problem and support changes in ocean management
Potential issues: aversion to change, “positioning your position”, sidetracking
Balancing an inclusive effort: process, process, process
Stay tuned to CZ-Mail or check out our Web page at www.state.ma.us/czm
State, Territory, and Commonwealth Initiatives and the U.S. Commission: Concluding Thoughts State/regional initiatives
highlight national policy voids and underscore CSO recommendations
These initiatives also provide excellent models for implementing a new coastal and ocean management structure
Push for change, but lead by example