The Coastal States Organization represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories & Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resource issues.
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Spotlight on Coastal Management
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Assisting and funding hazard mitigation in Maryland communities
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Maryland’s Chesapeake & Coastal Service (CCS) assists coastal communities to address short- and long-term coastal hazards through the CoastSmart Communities program, an integrated program of funding, data, and technical assistance. CoastSmart delivers essential coastal mapping data through the Coastal Atlas and provides technical assistance and training to municipal governments and private practitioners to implement mitigation practices. The CoastSmart Scorecard helps communities assess risk and plan for mitigation. CCS leverages CZMA § 309 funding with state and EPA funds to support community projects in the Community Resilience Grant Program, which has invested over $1.5 million in 23 counties to develop local flood mitigation plans, update floodplain ordinances, and create a comprehensive hazard mitigation plan for the City of Baltimore.
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In the States and Regions
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Living shorelines offer hope for state’s coastal communities
As Earth’s climate changes and New York coastal communities face risks from unpredictable waters, Cornell researchers and other specialists are developing a framework to protect shorelines and the people who live near them.
Experts from New York Sea Grant (NYSG) are involved in the Nature-Based Shorelines Project to identify the best ways to evaluate wetlands, natural elements such as beach grass plantings, and nature-based features such as living shorelines. Coastal communities along the Great Lakes, Hudson River, Long Island and in New York City will be getting updated information about how to monitor and evaluate the performance of nature-based shorelines.
Read more.
Topsail Beaches Rebuilding Ahead of Tourist Season
Five months after Hurricane Florence, Topsail Island is still in the process of rebuilding. Beach towns along the barrier island that rely on tourism are busy prepping for the summer season.
Read more.
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Kilmer, Heck propose first National Heritage Area in the Pacific Northwest
The Senate has voted 92-8 in favor of S. 47, the Natural Resources Management Act, a sweeping public lands package that included a bill led by Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Denny Heck (D-WA) to establish a National Maritime Heritage Area in Washington.
The Kilmer-Heck Maritime Washington National Heritage Area Act (H.R. 975), which was championed in the Senate by Senators Cantwell (D-WA) and Murray (D-WA), would designate a majority of Western Washington’s shoreline as a National Heritage Area to help promote maritime-related tourism, economic development and maritime history as told through Washington’s museums, historic ships, fishing culture and other activities.
Read more.
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Tech Partners Track Turtle Species at Risk
Land development and other human activities jeopardize the Mississippi diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin), the only turtle species in the U.S. that makes its home in high-salinity marshes and creeks. A new app and partnership uncover important findings about Mississippi diamondback terrapins and stretch monitoring funds provided by the state coastal management program. Inspired by success, the partners—all from Mississippi’s Department of Marine Resources—have begun using the app to check the spread of a wetland-destroying snail.
Read more.
‘Use-Local’ Sediment Policies Bring Resilience and Industry Bonuses
Eight years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, ongoing restoration demands massive amounts of good-quality sediment. The State of Mississippi’s “use local” policies and incentives save industry dollars and meet sediment needs through the reuse of dredge material from nearby Mississippi Sound. These actions keep tons of dredge soil out of landfills and the ocean while boosting storm resilience for the city of Pascagoula and protection for one of the state’s largest bird rookeries. The state’s Office of Coastal Resource Management, which oversees Mississippi’s Coastal Management Program, is coordinating this multi-agency effort.
Read more.
Illustrated Drain Markers Focus on Sustainable Wastewater Practices
In many communities storm drains are “out of sight, out of mind,” only noticeable when runoff and debris collide to bring about stormwater-system failure. Alabama’s City of Fairhope took the opposite tack—holding a drain-marker design contest that links sustainable wastewater practices to thriving coastal wildlife. Three winning designs and more than one thousand informative markers embellish storm drains across the city. Alabama’s Coastal Management Program and Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve played prominent roles.
Read more.
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Chicago is sinking. Here’s what that means for Lake Michigan and the Midwest.
The sightlines at Wrigley Field, the panorama from Navy Pier, the vantage points at the Adler Planetarium observatory — all structures built more than 100 years ago — are at least 4 inches lower now.
In the northern United States and Canada, areas that once were depressed under the tremendous weight of a massive ice sheet are springing back up while others are sinking. The Chicago area and parts of southern Lake Michigan, where glaciers disappeared 10,000 years ago, are sinking about 4 to 8 inches each century.
Read more.
Flood-Control Investments Bring Big Returns
In October 2018 the Minnesota city of Two Harbors emerged mostly unscathed after a fierce storm left other Lake Superior towns with a total of $18.4 million dollars in infrastructure damage. Two Harbors survived an even harsher test six years earlier with only minor damage, after the “solstice flood” left Duluth and nearby towns with a $100-million-dollar repair bill for washed-out roads and bridges, uprooted trees, and massive runoff into Lake Superior. The town’s action on smart stormwater management, begun years earlier, is the reason. Technical assistance and three grants by the Minnesota Lake Superior Coastal Program helped Two Harbors get there.
Read more.
Beaver Island Water Trail Grows Paddling and Ecotourism Opportunities
A new water trail circling Beaver Island adds another jewel to the state’s 540-mile crown of water trails, which wind through more than a dozen counties. The Beaver Island trail builds upon the Michigan Coastal Management Program’s nearly $2 million investment in water trails since 2012. It also supports the fast-growing paddle sports industry, part of a Great Lakes tourism and recreation economy that in 2015 represented $1.7 Billion of Michigan’s gross domestic product.
Read more.
Waukegan’s Harbor Cleanup Revitalizes City Scene
On Lake Michigan, a large-scale cleanup and revitalization effort has transformed Waukegan’s formerly contaminated harbor and underused lakefront into a magnet for thousands of visitors, 100-plus recreational and cultural happenings yearly, and a multimillion-dollar business investment. NOAA and the Illinois Coastal Management Program helped the City of Waukegan and Waukegan Port District turn this decades-long vision into a reality.
Read more.
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Capitol Beach Podcast
On this episode of the Capitol Beach, Derek Brockbank welcomes Bradley Watson, Executive Director of Coastal States Organization (CSO) to the show. ASBPA and CSO are close allies and frequently partner on policy issues. The conversation includes discussion about ASBPA and CSO's joint policy position, the history of the Coastal States Organization including how the Coastal Zone Management Act helped launch the organization.
Listen here.
NOAA delays launch of ‘next generation’ weather forecast model and names new acting head
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will not debut its “next generation” weather forecasting model in March, as planned.
Meanwhile, it has named Neil Jacobs as the acting head of the agency, replacing retired Rear Adm. Timothy Gallaudet, who will step back into a supporting role.
Read more.
EPA Seeks Nominations for Members of Great Lakes Advisory Board
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking nominations of qualified candidates who desire to serve as members of EPA’s Great Lakes Advisory Board (GLAB). Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified persons to be considered for appointment to the GLAB. Individuals may self-nominate.The GLAB will be composed of approximately fifteen members who will serve as representative members of non-federal interests. EPA will consider candidates representing a broad range of interests, including business groups, environmental organizations, academia and state, local and tribal governments. In selecting members, EPA will consider the differing perspectives needed to address the GLAB’s charter. Other criteria used to evaluate nominees will include:
• Experience with Great Lakes issues;
• Leadership and consensus-building experience in Great Lakes organizations, businesses and workgroups;
• Membership in professional societies involved with Great Lakes issues;
• Academic leadership and expertise;
• Community leadership; and
• Representation of multiple constituencies within the Great Lakes basin.
The GLAB will meet in person or by electronic means twice a year. In-person meetings will be held in the Great Lakes region.
Nominations may be submitted electronically with the subject line “GLAB Nomination 2019” to
Barnes.Edlynzia@epa.gov
, or by regular mail to Edlynzia Barnes, Designated Federal Officer, Great Lakes National Program Office, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 77 W Jackson Blvd. (G-9J), Chicago, IL 60604.
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UNDERSTAND HOW ECOSYSTEMS BENEFIT YOUR COMMUNITY.
Incorporating ecosystem services concepts into decision-making can be challenging for coastal managers. NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management recently developed an in-person training called
A Framework for Ecosystem Services Projects
. The course provides a foundation and practical
skills for applying the ecosystem services framework to projects in progress or those in the early stages of project planning. Participants will learn about the framework elements (biophysical science, human benefits, communication, and stakeholder engagement) and begin the scoping process using a worksheet to help think through key considerations.
EXAMINE IMPACTS OF COASTAL FLOODING ON STORMWATER MANAGEMENT.
Extreme rainfall and rising sea levels are increasing the frequency and duration of flood events in most coastal communities, which is contributing to greater impacts to property values and infrastructure viability. To effectively tackle this complex issue, communities need to know if and when they should expect to see coastal flooding, how long it will last, and how this may impact their ability to effectively manage stormwater.
Adapting Stormwater Management for Coastal Floods
, available through NOAA’s Digital Coast, is an interactive website that incorporates tools and methods to derive critical coastal water level thresholds and assess the potential impacts of threshold exceedance on stormwater infrastructure. Linkages are provided to various actions that can be taken to address the issue.
Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rulemaking: Step Two - Revise
On December 11, 2018 the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army (the agencies) proposed a revised definition of "waters of the United States" that clarifies federal authority under the Clean Water Act. The proposed rule published in the Federal Register (FR) on February 14, 2019 and will be open for a 60-day public comment period. The public comment period
will close on April 15, 2019
.
The public is invited to submit written comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2018-0149, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov
. General guidance on making effective comments is available at EPA's Commenting on EPA Dockets.
Training Opportunity
Duke University is offering an online training in Marine Planning Process (MPP) in March-April 2019. Through the course, students learn global best practices and essential skills in marine planning and leadership. This interactive curriculum is designed for professionals with interest in coastal and oceans management at all experience levels.
Online Course Dates: March 4th - April 26th, 2019
Who Should Attend: Professionals from across the globe with interest in coastal and oceans management at all experience levels.
Information and Registration
HERE
2018 RAE - CSO 9th National Summit on Coastal and Estuarine Restoration and Management
Missed a session or want to learn more? Download presentations here from the 10 concurrent sessions at the 2018 Summit
here.
Copies of posters presented at the 2018 Summit are now available
online.
Taxonomic Identification of Harmful Algae in U.S. Marine Waters
The Provasoli-Guillas National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (NCMA), with support from NOAA, is offering the 4th U.S. training course on the identification of harmful algae in the U.S. marine waters. The course is designed for current local, state and federal government employees and academics involved in all aspects of harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring, research, and management.
LOCATION: Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Research and Education campus in East Boothbay, ME
DATES: August 12 – 21, 2019
COST: $2,500 (which includes housing; some financial assistance provided if needed)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Those interested in applying should follow the link below to download the application form and send the completed form to
NCMA@bigelow.org. The submission deadline is March 8, 2019.
Learn more and apply for the course
here.
Tips and Stories for Coastal Managers, Delivered to Your Inbox
Have the latest technical topics, professional tips, and stories from your peers emailed to you each month.
Subscribe to NOAA Office for Coastal Management’s recently redesigned
Digital Coast Connections newsletter. Stay in the know about new data, tools, and resources from NOAA’s Digital Coast, as well as announcements from the research reserves, the Coastal Zone Management Program, and the Coral Reef Conservation Program.
Email the office for more information.
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March 11 - 13, 2019
March 14 - 15, 2019
- Coastal Zone Management - Program Managers Meeting
March 25 - 29, 2019
April 23 - 25, 2019
May 1 - 2, 2019
May 19 - 23, 2019
May 21 - 22, 2019
July 5 -10, 2020
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The views expressed in articles referenced here are those of the authors and do not represent or reflect the views of CSO.
If you have a news item or job posting to include in future CSO Newsletters, please send an email to:
gwilliams@coastalstates.org with a subject line: "Newsletter Content". Please include the information to be considered in the body of the email.
Please note: CSO reserves final decision regarding published newsletter content and may not use all information submitted.
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Coastal States Organization | 444 North Capitol St. NW, Suite 638, Washington, DC 20001 | 202-508-3860 | cso@coastalstates.org | www.coastalstates.org
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