Massachusetts Massachusetts Ocean Planning ProcessOcean Planning Process

MREC ConferenceMREC Conference

October 6, 2008October 6, 2008

ContentsContents

Oceans Act of 2008Oceans Act of 2008 Overview of planning processOverview of planning process Ocean planning and renewable Ocean planning and renewable

energyenergy

HistoryHistory

Ocean Management Task Force Ocean Management Task Force established in 2003established in 2003

Issued Issued Waves of ChangeWaves of Change report in report in 20042004

Key recommendation is to develop a Key recommendation is to develop a “new, comprehensive Ocean “new, comprehensive Ocean Resources Management Act”Resources Management Act”

CORMA filed in 2005CORMA filed in 2005

HistoryHistory

Coastal Zone Management developed several Coastal Zone Management developed several products to support ocean management:products to support ocean management: Seafloor mapping (ongoing)Seafloor mapping (ongoing) Assessment of Coastal and Marine Assessment of Coastal and Marine

EconomiesEconomies Existing and Proposed Offshore Energy Existing and Proposed Offshore Energy

FacilitiesFacilities

HistoryHistory

Massachusetts Ocean Partnership created Massachusetts Ocean Partnership created in 2006 in 2006

Membership includes government, marine-Membership includes government, marine-dependent industry, scientists, and dependent industry, scientists, and conservation and education organizersconservation and education organizers

Hosted by UMASS Boston; operates with Hosted by UMASS Boston; operates with funding from Moore Foundation to provide funding from Moore Foundation to provide technical resources for ocean planningtechnical resources for ocean planning

EEA/MOP MOU to guide contracts for EEA/MOP MOU to guide contracts for technical services technical services

Oceans Act of 2008Oceans Act of 2008

Directs Secretary of EEA to develop Directs Secretary of EEA to develop an integrated ocean management an integrated ocean management planplan

Final plan promulgated by December Final plan promulgated by December 31, 2009; formal public hearings in 4 31, 2009; formal public hearings in 4 coastal regions required at least 6 coastal regions required at least 6 months priormonths prior

EEA deadline of June 30, 2009 for EEA deadline of June 30, 2009 for draft plandraft plan

Oceans Act of 2008Oceans Act of 2008

Establishes the Ocean Advisory Establishes the Ocean Advisory Commission (Commission) to assist the Commission (Commission) to assist the Secretary and make recommendations Secretary and make recommendations regarding management and regarding management and development of the plandevelopment of the plan

Establishes the Ocean Science Advisory Establishes the Ocean Science Advisory Council (Council) to assist the Secretary Council (Council) to assist the Secretary in creating a baseline assessment and in creating a baseline assessment and obtaining scientific informationobtaining scientific information

Oceans Act of 2008Oceans Act of 2008

Set forth the Commonwealth’s goals, Set forth the Commonwealth’s goals, siting priorities, and standards for siting priorities, and standards for proper stewardship of its ocean proper stewardship of its ocean waters held in trust for the benefit of waters held in trust for the benefit of the publicthe public

Coordinates uses that include Coordinates uses that include international, federal, state and local international, federal, state and local jurisdictionsjurisdictions

Oceans Act of 2008Oceans Act of 2008

Foster sustainable uses that capitalize Foster sustainable uses that capitalize on economic opportunity without on economic opportunity without significant detriment to the ecology or significant detriment to the ecology or natural beauty of the oceannatural beauty of the ocean

Identify appropriate locations and Identify appropriate locations and performance standards for activities, performance standards for activities, uses, and facilities allowed under the uses, and facilities allowed under the Ocean Sanctuaries ActOcean Sanctuaries Act

Oceans Act of 2008Oceans Act of 2008

Amends the Ocean Sanctuaries Act Amends the Ocean Sanctuaries Act to allow development of renewable to allow development of renewable energy facilities, and requires that energy facilities, and requires that renewable energy facilities must be renewable energy facilities must be of “appropriate scale” and otherwise of “appropriate scale” and otherwise consistent with the planconsistent with the plan

Oceans Act of 2008Oceans Act of 2008

Requires all state agencies to consult Requires all state agencies to consult the plan prior to issuing approvals the plan prior to issuing approvals

All state approvals must be All state approvals must be consistent to the maximum extent consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the planpracticable with the plan

Directs that the plan be incorporated Directs that the plan be incorporated in the Coastal Zone Management in the Coastal Zone Management PlanPlan

Oceans Act of 2008Oceans Act of 2008

Directs that the Division of Marine Fisheries Directs that the Division of Marine Fisheries shall have sole responsibility for shall have sole responsibility for developing and implementing any fisheries developing and implementing any fisheries management plans or fisheries regulations management plans or fisheries regulations

Directs that commercial and recreational Directs that commercial and recreational fishing shall be allowable uses, subject to fishing shall be allowable uses, subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Division of the exclusive jurisdiction of the Division of Marine Fisheries.  Marine Fisheries. 

Planning ProcessPlanning Process

2 Products:2 Products:1.1. Framework plan with a spatial component Framework plan with a spatial component

(maps) and defined management measures (maps) and defined management measures (rules or standards); (rules or standards);

2.2. Defined planning, science, and policy Defined planning, science, and policy process for ongoing, dynamic plan evolution. process for ongoing, dynamic plan evolution. Act requires review of ocean management Act requires review of ocean management plan, its baseline assessment and the plan, its baseline assessment and the enforceable provisions of relevant statutes enforceable provisions of relevant statutes and regulations at least once every 5 years. and regulations at least once every 5 years.

Planning ProcessPlanning Process

4 step process4 step process1.1. Assemble data, comment and planning Assemble data, comment and planning

tools: 180 daystools: 180 days

2.2. Develop a working plan: 90 daysDevelop a working plan: 90 days

3.3. Review and modify plan: 60 daysReview and modify plan: 60 days

4.4. Formal public hearings, legislative review, Formal public hearings, legislative review, promulgation: 180 dayspromulgation: 180 days

DataData, Comment and Planning , Comment and Planning ToolsTools

Data workgroups:Data workgroups: HabitatHabitat Commercial and recreational fishingCommercial and recreational fishing Renewable energyRenewable energy Navigation and InfrastructureNavigation and Infrastructure Sediment managementSediment management Social, cultural and historicSocial, cultural and historic RegulatoryRegulatory

DataData, Comment and Planning , Comment and Planning ToolsTools

The Science Advisory Council will The Science Advisory Council will review and recommend additional or review and recommend additional or modified data to create working modified data to create working baseline assessmentbaseline assessment

Council will identify short- and long-Council will identify short- and long-term baseline issues, data and term baseline issues, data and process needed to address themprocess needed to address them

Data, Data, CommentComment and Planning and Planning ToolsTools

Our intent is to ensure broad-based, Our intent is to ensure broad-based, on-going public participation in on-going public participation in developing the plandeveloping the plan

EEA is holding coast-wide and inland EEA is holding coast-wide and inland public meetings in September and public meetings in September and October to gather public and October to gather public and stakeholder commentstakeholder comment

Data, Comment and Data, Comment and Planning Planning ToolsTools

EEA is working with technical EEA is working with technical consultants contracted by MOP to consultants contracted by MOP to review nat’l and internt’l planning review nat’l and internt’l planning models and present options to EEA, models and present options to EEA, Commission and Council Commission and Council

Options will be reviewed for their Options will be reviewed for their utility in MA, considering:utility in MA, considering: Planning principlesPlanning principles Adequacy of existing dataAdequacy of existing data Directives of the Act Directives of the Act

Task: Assemble data, comment and planning tools Task: Assemble data, comment and planning tools Product: Public and stakeholder issues identified and Product: Public and stakeholder issues identified and planning principles completed, baseline data and planning principles completed, baseline data and assessment completed, review of plan framework assessment completed, review of plan framework alternatives completedalternatives completed

OAC 1st meeting

OAC workshopPlanning modelsStakeholder presentations

OAC 2nd meetingPublic process resultsPlanning principles

OAC 3rd meetingPlan framework alternatives

Aug

Sep

Oct Nov

Dec

Jan

SAC 1st meetingWorkgroup resultsPrinciplesBig picture

SAC 2nd meetingWork group resultsBaseline assessment

SAC 3rd meetingDraft plan framework

Public comment

EEA work with MOP planning contactors

Develop a Working PlanDevelop a Working Plan

EEA will use the planning principles, EEA will use the planning principles, public and stakeholder comment, public and stakeholder comment, and the selected plan framework as and the selected plan framework as the basis of the planthe basis of the plan

EEA will overlay ocean data and EEA will overlay ocean data and workgroup materials to identify areas workgroup materials to identify areas suitable for different kinds of uses suitable for different kinds of uses and protections, and identify conflict and protections, and identify conflict among uses and between uses and among uses and between uses and resources that need to be resolved resources that need to be resolved

Science Advisory Council

Ocean Advisory Commission

7/14/08 draft

Agency wk groups

Data to MORIS

Full wk groups

Data/info input from broader wk group constituency

Renewables; habitat; comm/rec fishing; sediment mngmt; trans/nav/infrastructure; regulatory; social, cultural, historic

Planning analysis: all info incorporated through plan framework = alternative planning scenarios for review

Needs assess – review models, ID alternative plan frameworks/tools

ID stakeholder issues

Process to do review/feedback/revise with workgroups, public and OAC and SAC

Public comment, catalogue and analyze

Review plan alts for utility w/ state principles (Act, public comment, stakeholder, OAC), and data (wkgroups, SAC):

ID plan framework/tools

July 2009 product:1. Framework plan w/spatial and management component2. Defined planning, science, and policy process for ongoing, dynamic plan evolution

Agencies + representative cross-section of interests

Ocean Planning process

JULY

2008 JA

NU

AR

Y 09 F

EB

– AP

RIL M

AY

- JUN

E

Oceans Act and Renewable Oceans Act and Renewable EnergyEnergy

Amends OSA to permit “appropriate Amends OSA to permit “appropriate scale” renewablesscale” renewables

Directs that plan ID areas and Directs that plan ID areas and management measures for renewablesmanagement measures for renewables

Directs that “necessity and Directs that “necessity and convenience” and “significant convenience” and “significant alteration” be reviewedalteration” be reviewed

Moves administration of OSA to CZMMoves administration of OSA to CZM

Oceans Act and Renewable Oceans Act and Renewable EnergyEnergy

Requires that plan be incorporated in Requires that plan be incorporated in state coastal planstate coastal plan

Provides formal policy basis for Provides formal policy basis for coordination with NE states coordination with NE states

Data and analysis will be used as basis Data and analysis will be used as basis for MEPA/NEPA and permit streamlining for MEPA/NEPA and permit streamlining (Corps/state waters; MMS/federal (Corps/state waters; MMS/federal waters)waters)

EEA conducting parallel data acquisition EEA conducting parallel data acquisition and planning for federal watersand planning for federal waters

Thank youThank you