NROC News – June 2014
NROC News – monthly news and updates from NROC, its member agencies and partners.
NROC would like you to know –
- The Ocean and Coastal Ecosystem Health Committees for NROC and NERACOOS are sponsoring their third workshop on June 24, 2014, at the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Sudbury, MA, to continue working on an “Integrated Sentinel Monitoring Network for Climate Change in New England Ocean and Coastal Ecosystems.” Over 50 scientists, resource managers, and policy experts from Connecticut to Maine and the Canadian Maritime Provinces have formed a steering committee and three working groups (pelagic, benthic, and estuarine/near shore) and begun developing an inventory of monitoring and indicator programs in the northeast region, criteria to select indicators and sentinel sites for the regional network, and preliminary lists of indicators and sentinel sites. The workshop will be used to plan next steps, including completing a “science and implementation plan” for how to conduct an integrated sentinel monitoring system, building on several established and ongoing programs, by December 2014. A draft agenda for the workshop is currently available. Click here to register by June 17th.
- NROC approved the formation of a Regional Sand Management Working Group, with the goal of bringing a regional perspective to agencies looking to provide and use offshore sand for coastal restoration. Benefits of this effort could help to speed coastal recovery, avoid permitting delays, and minimize conflict with other ocean uses in the Northeast. The Working Group had an initial conference call in April and includes representatives from each NROC member state as well as several federal agencies.
NROC Partners would like you to know –
- BOEM and New Hampshire Sign Agreement to Identify Sand Resource: As part of President Obama’s continuing commitment to help coastal communities recover from Hurricane Sandy and promote resilient coastal systems, BOEM and the State of New Hampshire signed a two-year cooperative agreement totaling $200,000 to identify sand resources for coastal resilience and restoration planning. The agreement will help BOEM and the State of New Hampshire conduct research that will assist coastal communities in recovering from future devastating storms such as Hurricane Sandy, restore habitat, increase knowledge of offshore sand resources, and contribute to long-term coastal planning efforts. Click here for additional details. Via Bob LaBelle (BOEM)
- Narragansett Bay Estuary Program Announces Grant Program to Address Nutrient Pollution in the Narragansett Bay: The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program has announced the availability of grants to non-profit organizations, educational institutions, municipalities, and other government agencies to fund nutrient management projects in the greater Narragansett Bay Watershed in both RI and MA. This grant funding will support projects that reduce nutrient pollution from fertilizers, septic systems, and other sources to both fresh and saltwater systems. The maximum award for a single project will be $400,000, but smaller projects are encouraged. Two-page pre-proposals are due June 9th. Click here for additional information.
- NE RPB Meetings to be held June 25-26, 2014: A reminder that a Northeast Regional Planning Body (NE RPB) Natural Resources Public Workshop will take place on June 25, followed by the fourth NE RPB meeting on June 26. The workshop and meeting will both take place at The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Please check the RPB meeting page on the new NE Ocean Planning web site for detailed agendas in the weeks ahead. Register here to indicate your attendance at both the June 25 Natural Resources Workshop and the June 26 NE RPB meeting. Via Katie Lund (NE RPB)