Transcript Status of EPA Ocean and Coastal Protection Programs in New

EPA Ocean and Coastal Protection
Programs in New England
Melville P. Coté, Jr., Manager
Ocean and Coastal Protection Unit
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1
June 7, 2012
People love the ocean
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Fish and wildlife habitat
Commercial shipping and recreational boating
Commercial and recreational fishing
Passive recreation
Energy production and transmission
Water supply for cooling and desalinization
Wastewater disposal
Waterfront development
Sometimes too much
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Habitat degradation and loss
Fishery stock depletion
Eutrophication
Harmful algal blooms (e.g., red tide)
Beach and shellfish bed closures
Contaminated sediment
Non-native, invasive species
Human induced coastal erosion
EPA’s mission is to protect human
health and the environment
• The Ocean and Coastal Protection Unit administers
federal programs to protect marine and estuarine
waters in New England.
Under these statutory authorities
• Clean Water Act
• Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act
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(Ocean Dumping Act)
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899
Coastal Zone Management Act
Oil Pollution Act
National Environmental Policy Act
Endangered Species Act
Magnuson-Stevens Sustainable Fisheries Act
With lots of help from our partners
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• National Marine Fisheries Service
• National Estuarine Research Reserve System
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• U.S. Coast Guard
• Department of the Interior
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• U.S. Geological Survey
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
• State agencies
• Nongovernmental organizations
What is the unit responsible for?
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National Estuary Program
Ocean dumping/dredging
Vessel waste management
BEACH Program
NPDES/NEPA Technical Assistance
NEPA compliance for EPA actions
Scientific monitoring and research
Regional partnerships
National Ocean Policy
Manage the National Estuary Program
• “Estuaries of national significance”
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Casco Bay (1990)
Piscataqua Region (1996)
Massachusetts Bays (1990)
Buzzards Bay (1985)
Narragansett Bay (1985)
Long Island Sound (1985)
And prepare for climate change
Climate Ready Estuaries projects:
• Casco Bay (2009, 2011)
• Piscataqua Region (2008, 2011)
• Massachusetts Bays (2008)
• Narragansett Bay (2011)
• Long Island Sound (2009, 2010)
Regulate dredging and ocean dumping
• Dredging and dredged material management
• Co-regulate with Corps and coordinate with NMFS, FWS and states
• Sediment testing to determine “suitability” for aquatic disposal
• Using Green Book/Inland Testing Manual
• Disposal site designations
• Five designated sites (Portland, Mass Bays, Rhode Island, CLIS, WLIS)
• Disposal site management and monitoring
• Site Management and Monitoring Plans (SMMPs)
• Disposal Area Monitoring System (DAMOS)
• Vessel disposal at sea
• Burial at Sea
We help states manage vessel waste
And monitor beaches
• Federal BEACH Act of 2000
• Requires frequent monitoring of most public beaches and public
notification of results
• Authorizes annual grants ($200-260K) to coastal states to support
monitoring programs
• Clean New England Beaches Initiative
• Goes beyond BEACH Act requirements to encourage identification and
elimination of pollutions sources causing beach closures
• Promotes new technology for monitoring and source identification
• EPA conducting & supporting sanitary surveys
We provide technical expertise
• NPDES permitting
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Marine discharges
Power plants
Aquaculture
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
• Environmental Review (NEPA and other)
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LNG terminals
Offshore wind development
Sand and gravel mining
Pipelines and cables
Ensure EPA compliance with NEPA
• EPA actions subject to NEPA:
• Designation of ocean dredged material disposal sites
• New discharges subject to NPDES
• Construction grants
• Special appropriation projects
Monitoring and research
• OSV Bold – EPA’s ocean survey vessel
• Supports EPA statutory and regulatory mandates, and
oceans and coastal protection mission
• Dive Unit
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Operates under EPA Dive Safety Program
Five certified EPA divers
Includes ORD AED Dive Unit
Conduct joint operations with
NOAA, MA DMF, and Corps
Monitoring and research
• National Coastal Assessment (NCA)
• Coordinated by OW with Regional and state support
• Results provided in National Coastal Condition Report
• MWRA Outfall Monitoring Science Advisory Panel
• Enforce compliance with NPDES permit conditions
• GOMC Ecosystem Indicators Partnership (ESIP)
• Coordinating with ORD AED research
• Tiered aquatic life use (TALU)
• Nutrient criteria
• Contaminated sediment
Regional Partnerships
• Northeast Regional Ocean Council
• Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment
• Northeast Regional Association of Coastal and Ocean
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Observing Systems
New England Federal Partners
New England Regional Dredging
Team (Sudbury Group)
Coastal America NERIT
We pay attention to new federal
policies and initiatives
• National Ocean Policy/Coastal and Marine Spatial
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Planning Framework (2010)
EPA National Water Program Strategy: Response to
Climate Change (2008)
National Ocean Council
National Ocean Council
Office of Energy and
Climate Change
Principals/Deputies
Co-Chairs: CEQ/OSTP
National Economic
Council
Governance Coordinating
Committee
(Committee on the Marine
Transportation System)
Steering Committee
State/Tribal/Local
(CEQ, OSTP, Staff Director,
and Chairs of the IPCs)
National Security
Council
Ocean Research
and Resources
Advisory Panel
(Maritime Security
Interagency Policy Committee
(MSIPC), Oceans SubInteragency Policy
Committee)
Ocean Resource Management IPC
Ocean Science and Technology IPC
Chair/Co-Chairs
Chair/Co-Chairs
Working groups could be retained or established as standing or ad hoc Sub IPCs: e.g., Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning,
Ocean Acidification, Ocean Observations, Mapping, Ocean Education, Climate Resiliency and Adaptation, Regional Ecosystem
Protection and Restoration, Water Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land, and Arctic.
The Extended Continental Shelf Task Force would report to the Steering Committee and coordinate with the two IPCs.
Reporting
Coordination
Communication
Nine Priority Objectives
(primary interest to EPA)
How We Do Business:
1. Ecosystem-Based Management: Adopt as a foundational principle for
comprehensive management of the ocean and coasts.
2. Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning: Implement comprehensive, integrated
ecosystem-based planning in the US.
3. Inform Decisions and Improve Understanding: Increase knowledge, improve
management and policy decisions to respond to change and challenges.
Better educate the public.
4. Coordinate and Support: Better coordinate and support national, local and
regional management. Improve Federal Government coordination and
integration, engage with the international community.
Nine Priority Objectives
(primary interest to EPA)
Nine Areas of Special Emphasis:
1. Resiliency and Adaptation to Climate Change: Strengthen resiliency of coastal
communities and marine environments and their abilities to adapt to climate
change impacts and acidification.
2. Regional Ecosystem Restoration: Establish, align and implement an
integrated, science-based ecosystem restoration strategy and goals at all
levels.
3. Water Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land: Enhance water quality by
promoting and implementing sustainable practices on land.
4. Changing Conditions in the Arctic: Address environmental stewardship needs
in the Arctic and adjacent coastal areas in the face of climate induced and
other changes.
5. Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Observations and Infrastructure: Strengthen
and integrate Federal and non-Federal ocean observing systems, data
collection and mapping.
Thank you!
[email protected]
(617) 918-1553
http://www.epa.gov/region1/topics/water/ocp.html
Acknowledgements: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanstater/5651153260/