Wear Blue for the Oceans -- Jan 13th

January 13th is Wear Blue for the Oceans Day. By wearing blue you will be part of movement to tell President Obama and his Administration that ocean and coastal health should be a national priority.

This Wednesday, in support of our oceans, public rallies are taking place across the country in Hawaii, Washington DC, New Orleans and more and in all states, oceans lovers will be wearing blue. Show your support and wear blue too. And ask your friends to do the same.

Tomorrow's activities are timed to encourage the Obama Administration to adopt a National Ocean Policy. To learn more about how a National Ocean Policy can help your beach and about the work of the Ocean Policy Task Force, established by Obama last June, visit wearblueforoceans.org and www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans.

"We have a stewardship responsibility to maintain healthy, resilient, and sustainable oceans, coasts and Great Lakes resources for the benefit of this and future generations."
President Barak Obama, June 12, 2009

Mass. Ocean-Management Plan

January 4, 2010
Mass. unveils landmark ocean-management plan
By STEVE LeBLANC
Associated Press Writer

Massachusetts has released the final version of a landmark ocean-management plan, creating a vast regulatory map for the state's coastal waters and setting new limits for offshore wind farms.

The plan allows up to 266 wind turbines in state waters — 166 in two designated commercial wind farm areas and 100 more turbines scattered up and down the coast in smaller "community" projects — as the state tries to ramp up its renewable energy output.

Authorized by the state's Oceans Act of 2008, the plan is designed to regulate development in state-controlled waters, which extend three miles offshore.

It creates protected areas and prohibits development in state waters near the Cape Cod National Seashore.

The protected habitats include eelgrass beds and submerged rocky areas that provide shelter to some of the greatest marine biodiversity in the coastal waters. The plan is also designed to shield whale migratory paths and the habitats of endangered roseate terns.

Before the map, development in state waters had been handled piecemeal, said state Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles.

State officials say the map is the first in the country with such a comprehensive scope. Other states, including California and New York, have adopted measures designed to protect offshore ecosystems. Rhode Island is working on its own coastal management plan.

President Barack Obama last year started a similar effort to draft a regulatory framework for federal waters — beyond the three-mile band of state waters.

Although the plan allows up to 266 turbines, Bowles said he doesn't anticipate many of the community-based wind turbines being built — at least not soon — due to the high costs of siting and construction, although he acknowledged that technological improvements could bring those costs down.

The map parcels out the number of allowed community energy projects to each of the state's seven regional planning authorities based on the length of shoreline and area of coastal waters. The plan also requires any project be endorsed by its host community.

Bowles said the final version of the map improves on an earlier version released in July in part by creating tougher protections for ecologically sensitive areas, which constitute nearly two-thirds of the state's waters.

The final version sets a higher regulatory hurdle than the earlier version by requiring developers show that no environmental harm will come from proposed projects in those areas — or prove that the state's data is wrong.

"It's a much more difficult standard than was there before," Bowles said.

Environmental groups praised the plan, saying it balances protection of vulnerable marine wildlife and habitats with responsible ocean uses.

"It's a real victory for the ocean and everyone who depends on it," said Priscilla Brooks of the Conservation Law Foundation. "The bar has been set very high."

The map would do nothing to block the development of the 130-turbine Cape Wind project, the nation's first proposed offshore wind farm, to be located in federal waters off Nantucket Sound.

The plan establishes two new zones for commercial wind-energy projects south of Cuttyhunk Island near the southern end of the Elizabeth Islands and south of Nomans Land, off Martha's Vineyard.

The plan gives local communities some say over the "appropriate scale" of any commercial wind farm in state waters.

The state is also forming a task force with the U.S. Minerals Management Service to coordinate the planning and review of large-scale wind-energy projects in adjacent federal waters.

The plan also sets out priorities for ocean management-related research over the next five years, including better ways to identify sensitive habitats and monitoring the effects of climate change in Massachusetts waters.

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On the Net:

Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs: http://www.mass.gov/eea

Governor's budget cuts deeper into water quality

The State's water quality and public health programs prevent and clean up water pollution as well as monitor and inform beach goers when the waters are unsafe for recreation. These essential programs are facing further cuts under this years budget shortfall. Yesterday, the Governor released her proposed all cuts budget and it included reductions of $200,000 in funding for the water quality program and capacity reductions in monitoring. In addition, the Environmental Health Program was severely cut by $500,000. These cuts, on top of deep cuts made earlier this year, compromise the state's ability to ensure that our beaches and waters are clean and that users are informed. This all cuts budget threatens many other core environmental protection programs too, including those that ensure clean drinking water and clean up toxic contamination. Surfrider Foundation strongly encourages the Governor to release a second budget and to restore funding to critical environmental programs.

Erosion along South Coast shores worsens with storms

Following the first of this months severe storms, the South Beach Bulletin, Westport's local paper, featured photos of the erosion damage. These included one of a enormous sinkhole that devastated the trailer park behind the Islander. Another showed Westhaven Drive under water and another featured the dramatic shoreline of Washaway Beach, where a house is very close to sliding off the bluff. Erosion is inevitable along Washington's weather worn shores. However, how governments, developers and coastal communities chose to respond and prepare for erosion is a significant question. And, will they act proactively in light of more severe storm conditions predicted with climate change? Surfrider Foundation is going to push Westport and other coastal communities in Grays Harbor County to tackle these questions at a workshop this February. For details and outcomes, check out Kathy Greer's blog: surfriderwashingtonoutercoast.blogspot.com

Storm hits WA coast

Even Cliff Mass, Washington's biggest weather buff, is impressed by the forecast for this weekend. Intense low pressure, high winds, and big waves are likely to dominate the outer coast. Check out Mass's blog for details: cliffmass.blogspot.com.

Algae bloom threatens seabirds on Washington coast

Dead and distressed seabirds are showing up on Washington beaches for the second time this fall along with a brownish-green foam. So far reports of birds are from Makah Bay (Sooes) and the Long Beach Peninsula. Mainly loons, common murre, grebes and scoters. The brownish bloom is presumed to be Akashiwo sanguinea. The algae acts as a surfactant on the birds' feathers, causing them to die of hypothermia. This species of algae is not considered hazardous for beach recreation, including surfing and paddling.

Volunteers are needed through Nov 15th to drive live rescued seabirds to a rescue center in Lynnwood, WA. If you are available to drive, please contact Jacqueline Laverdure 360-457-6622 ext. 21 or Jacqueline.Laverdure@noaa.gov. Include your phone number in your message. Thanks for your help.

Governor speaks against 1033

Yesterday, at the annual Washington Conservation Voters Breakfast of Champions, Governor Chris Gregoire gave an impassioned speech rallying support for the fight against Initiative 1033. It will "devastate the State of Washington" said Gregoire.

Tim Eyman's Ballot Initiative 1033 is on this November's ballot. And if it passes, it will indeed have devastating impacts on ocean and coastal protection programs. Funding for clean water, clean air, beach access and Puget Sound recovery will slowly dry up over time as this restrictive measures strangles the state budget.

As Governor Gregoire said, “...please... do everything you can. Vote yourself NO on 1033. But get everybody in Washington State to join in.”

www.no1033.com