Project Task:
95.01
Grantee:
Virginia Commonwealh University
Project Title:
Ocean Resources - Marine Spatial Planning
Project Description as Proposed:
Over the next five years, the Virginia CZM Program will develop a
Virginia Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) for the waters off Virginia’s coast in concert with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) and the “regional planning body” called for in the July 19, 2010 Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force (IOPTF). The IOPTF’s recommendations and the accompanying Presidential Executive Order can be viewed at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/OPTF_FinalRecs.pdf As the path forward becomes clear, Virginia will determine critical specifics such as what geographic area will be covered by the plan and exactly what form the “enforceable policy” will need to take. At a minimum, Virginia’s Marine Spatial Plan will cover the area from mean low water along Virginia’s Atlantic coast out to the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone. If time and funding allow, or should it become required, the Virginia portion of Chesapeake Bay will also be included.
In addition this Ocean Resources Strategy will include creation of a
Virginia Marine Debris Plan, with an analysis of key marine debris issues and prioritization of these issues. The Plan will be presented to the Virginia Coastal Policy Team for adoption and to MARCO for consideration. Decreasing marine debris is one of the goals within MARCO’s set of “Water Quality” goals.
Description of activities: The VCU will provide a Marine Spatial Plan/Marine Debris Plan Coordinator and maintain an office in Richmond, Virginia. The Coordinator will expand the list of Virginia offshore marine stakeholders/users developed for the December 2009 MARCO Stakeholder Workshop which was held in NYC and communicate with them through surveys or convene them in order to refine the offshore ocean management objectives for the various uses such as fishing, energy development, conservation, sand mining, transportation and whatever other objectives may be identified. The Coordinator will also create an inventory of existing efforts (building on any work MARCO may have accomplished by October 2011) in the offshore Virginia area that may inform the appropriate management of Virginia’s ocean resources. The Coordinator will work with the CZM Manager and Virginia ocean stakeholders to develop a Virginia perspective on management objectives that will feed into the National Ocean Council’s “Regional Planning Body.”During the first year, for the Marine Debris Plan (MDP), the Coordinator will work with Virginia Sea Grant to host a Marine Debris Summit as an important first step in developing an action plan. The summit would bring together marine debris experts with target audiences, state and local resource managers, community educators, and potential funding sources—to raise awareness and also to identify and prioritize particular elements of marine debris that Virginians consider most critical to address. A summit would ensure stakeholder buy-in and input to the action plan. Virginia Sea Grant (VASG) will act as a neutral broker in hosting and organizing the summit. They will provide science-based information to decision makers and stakeholders and provide staff support to an organizing committee.
Outcome(s): 1. Creation of a Virginia MSP Stakeholder Work Group that may provide input to MARCO and/or the National Ocean Council’s “Regional Planning Body” for the Mid-Atlantic
2. Preparation of introductory/background materials on ocean planning for the stakeholder groups.
3. A document outlining key Virginia objectives for management of marine waters offshore of Virginia that reflects a consensus of the Stakeholder Work group
4. Summary report on the Marine Debris Summit Federal Funding:
$44,770
Project Contact:
Todd Janeski, 804.371.8984; tvjaneski@vcu.edu
Project Status:
10/1/11 - 9/30/12
Final Product Received:
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov