NROC News – October 2019

Next NROC Meeting

NROC’s next full meeting will take place on Monday, December 16, 2019 at New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, 222 International Drive, #175, Portsmouth, NH. Agenda and meeting materials will be posted in advance.

NERACOOS Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary – Call for Abstracts

NERACOOS has issued a call for abstracts for opportunities to present at their Annual Meeting on December 6, 2019 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. NERACOOS is seeking presentations that focus on past, present or future uses of NERACOOS data and information. Help NERACOOS celebrate its 10-year anniversary by sharing stories about how ocean observing data and information impact people’s lives, research and decisions in the Northeast. The deadline for submitting abstracts is October 11, 2019.

Gulf of Maine 2050 International Symposium Posts Program and Extends Registration Deadline

The Westin Portland Harborview
Portland, Maine, November 4 – 8, 2019
The Gulf of Maine 2050 International Symposium will bring scientists, managers, industry and community leaders together to understand how the Gulf of Maine is expected to change over the next 30 years and identify challenges and opportunities for regional resilience. The deadlines for registration and reserving discount accommodations at The Westin have been extended through October 11 (final extension). Latest program details are available at www.gulfofmaine2050.org. Follow @gulfofmaine2050 on Twitter for updates.

Northeast Data Portal Supports Public Review and Comments for EPA Proposed Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site

EPA Region 1 has released a Proposed Rule for Designation of an Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site, Isles of Shoals North for the Southern Maine, New Hampshire, and Northern Massachusetts Coastal Region, pursuant to the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act. The Proposed Rule was published in the Federal Register on September 18, 2019 at 84 FR 49075. In addition, EPA has released a Draft Environmental Assessment and Evaluation Study for Designation of an Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site for the Southern Maine, New Hampshire, and Northern Massachusetts Coastal Region, August 2019 (Draft EA) for public review and comment. The comment period is open through October 18, 2019 and comments can be made through the Federal Register website or through regulations.gov, Docket # EPA-R01-OW-2019-0521. More information and links to the Proposed Rule and Draft EA can be found on the EPA Region 1 Ocean Dumping web page.

To help support public review and comment, NROC developed a new page on its Northeast Ocean Data Portal featuring informative maps and data related to the proposed designation. The page is available at: https://www.northeastoceandata.org/proposed-disposal-site-for-dredged-material/

NOAA Marine Debris Program Federal Funding Opportunity

The NOAA Marine Debris Program recently announced its FY2020 Marine Debris Prevention federal funding opportunity. NOAA will provide funding for projects that actively engage and educate a target audience (such as students, teachers, industries, or the public) in hands-on programs designed to raise awareness, provide practical approaches, reduce barriers, and encourage and support changes in behaviors to ensure long-term prevention of marine debris. The deadline for submitting letters of intent is November 5, 2019.

Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship

NOAA is accepting applications for a new fellowship program for graduate students at the national estuarine research reserves. One two-year fellowship opportunity will be available at each of the 29 coastal sites. Through a research project, fellows will address a key coastal management question to help scientists and communities understand coastal challenges that may influence future policy and management strategies. Applications must be submitted by December 20, 2019. Details available at: https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/research/davidson-fellowship.html