BIENNIAL REPORT TO CONGRESS 

on 

Coastal Zone Management 

2004 - 2005 

Prepared by: 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

United States Department of Commerce 
Message from the Director 

2004-2005 Biennium Offers Challenges for Coastal Zone Management 

This is, perhaps, the most important time for coastal management in our Nation. In the past two 

years we have witnessed coastal storms lash coastlines and devastate entire coastal communities. 

In the late summer and fall of 2005, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma pounded our Nation’s 

Gulf Coast, producing a significant loss of property and life, and sparking national debate on the 

storm readiness of our coastal areas. 

These headline-grabbing events bring the importance of proper management of our Nation’s 

coastal zone under close scrutiny. The increased attention also, for the Office of Ocean and 

Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) and its partners, helps amplify much of the other, but 

less publicized, good work conducted along the Nation’s 95,331 miles of coastline. 

During the 2004-2005 biennium, I am proud to report some remarkable accomplishments that 

occurred as a result of the Coastal Zone Management Act. Nearly 35 years after the Act was 

signed into law, all but one coastal state, Illinois, is participating in the National Coastal Zone 

Management Program. The State of Illinois, working diligently with OCRM throughout the past 

two years, has made great strides in a lengthy approval process. When the Illinois’ program is 

officially approved (expected in fiscal year 2007), it will become the 35th and final state working 

to implement the National Coastal Zone Management Program. 

Our National Estuarine Research Reserve System is also growing. In May 2006, the 185,648-

acre Mission-Aransas Reserve was dedicated in Texas, becoming the 27th reserve to join the 

system, and adding an important new bio-geographic sub region. Through hard work by OCRM, 

the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, and the State of Texas, the Reserve, which has 

been in the planning stages since 2002, finally became a reality. Congratulations to the State of 

Texas and the University of Texas on this fine accomplishment. 

We continue to work with all coastal states, territories, and reserves on the implementation of our 

Coastal Zone Management Act Performance Measurement System. The System will help 

communicate the effectiveness of coastal and estuarine reserve programs authorized under the 

Coastal Zone Management Act. Several state and territory coastal management programs 

participated in a pilot phase of new coastal management performance measures throughout 2004. 

Today, all 34 state coastal management programs have begun a phased implementation of 

performance measures. This System will help us share our successes and progress achieved 

under the Coastal Zone Management Act. 

The National Marine Protected Areas Center, which is part of OCRM, continues to make steady 

progress in the development of a comprehensive national system of marine protected areas. In 

2005, a Federal Advisory Committee finalized the first set of recommendations on the 

establishment of the System. This effort required working closely with a wide variety of 

interests—from fishery management councils and tribes, to federal and state agencies—to lay the 

i
groundwork for the future of our marine protected areas. This was a major step in the 

development of the National Marine Protected Area System. 

Finally, OCRM continues to be actively engaged in recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast. We are 

working hand-in-hand with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, state and local 

governments, and state coastal management programs, applying our expertise toward ensuring 

improvements made along the coast are more disaster resilient. This mission will be at the 

forefront of state coastal management programs in the years ahead. 

There is no doubt the implementation of the Coastal Zone Management Act has had a positive 

impact on our Nation’s coastline. This biennium, however, was one of the most challenging 

since the inception of the program. The demands placed on our coasts through a rapid increasing 

coastal population and destruction from record coastal storms, coupled with a more challenging 

fiscal environment, have made the implementation of the Coastal Zone Management Act more 

difficult. Our job ahead is made much easier through the expertise and knowledge of a dedicated 

OCRM staff and strong state partners. 

David M. Kennedy 

Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management 

August, 2006 

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Table of Contents 

Summary of Responses to Requirements under Section 316....................................................iv 

National Strategy for Coastal and Ocean Management: An Overview ...............................................1 

 The United States as a Coastal Nation...........................................................................................1 

 Addressing the Challenges of Growth through the Coastal Zone Management Act .....................3 

NOAA Resources Supporting States and Territories............................................................................7 

 Coastal Services Center .................................................................................................................7 

 The Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Technology .................................................9 

New Developments in 2004-2005 ...........................................................................................................11 

 Illinois Poised to Become 35th State with Coastal Management Program...................................11 

 Support for Hurricane Recovery..................................................................................................11 

 Progress on Establishing Texas National Estuarine Research Reserve .......................................12 

 Coastal Zone Management Act Performance Measurement System...........................................12 

 Coastal State Program Enhancement ...........................................................................................13 

 Program Evaluations....................................................................................................................14 

 Developments in Federal Consistency.........................................................................................16 

 MPA Federal Advisory Committee Delivers First Set of Recommendations........................19 

Progress in Addressing Major Goals of the Coastal Zone Management Act............................21 

 Coastal Habitats ...........................................................................................................................21 

 Coastal Hazards ...........................................................................................................................26 

 Coastal Water Quality..................................................................................................................27 

 Public Access...............................................................................................................................32 

 Coastal Community Development...............................................................................................33 

 Protecting Water Dependent Uses and Revitalizing Urban Waterfronts .....................................35 

National Estuarine Research Reserves System ....................................................................................38 

 Graduate Research Fellowship Program......................................................................................40 

 System Wide Monitoring Program ..............................................................................................40 

 Public and Student Education ......................................................................................................43 

 Informing Coastal Decision Makers ............................................................................................46

 Partnerships for Coastal Management .........................................................................................48 

National Marine Protected Areas Center .............................................................................................50 

 National System of Marine Protected Areas................................................................................50 

 Natural and Social Science ..........................................................................................................51 

 International Coordination...........................................................................................................52 

 Inventories of Marine Managed Areas and De Facto Marine Protected Areas ...........................53 

 Outreach and Education...............................................................................................................54 

 MPA Federal Advisory Committee .............................................................................................54 

Itemization of Allocation of Funds ........................................................................................................57 

National CMP Accomplishments for FY2004 -2005.............................................................................58 

Program Accomplishments for NERRS for FY2004 – 2005....................................................59 

iii
Summary of Responses to 

Requirements under the Coastal Zone Management Act, Section 316 

The Coastal Zone Management Act was passed in 1972 and provides for management of the 

Nation’s coastal resources, including the Great Lakes, and balances economic development with 

environmental conservation. Section 316 of the Act requires the Secretary of Commerce report 

to Congress on the administrative progress of the Act biennially. Below is a description of how 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has addressed these requirements, 

and/or where more information on the requirements can be found in this Report. 

§ 1462. Coastal Zone Management Reports (Section 316)

(a) Biennial reports. The Secretary shall consult with the Congress on a regular basis concerning 

the administration of this title and shall prepare and submit to the President for transmittal to the 

Congress a report summarizing the administration of this title during each period of two 

consecutive fiscal years. Each report, which shall be transmitted to the Congress not later than 

April 1 of the year following the close of the biennial period to which it pertains, shall include, 

but not be restricted to (1) an identification of the state programs approved pursuant to this title 

during the preceding federal fiscal year and a description of those programs; 

No new coastal management or estuarine reserve programs were approved during the 

2004-2005 biennium. The State of Illinois, however, has made great progress towards 

the development of a coastal management program, which is expected to be approved in 

2007 (See page 11). Likewise, the State of Connecticut’s Coastal Nonpoint Pollution 

Control Program developed under Section 6217 was approved by both NOAA and the 

Environmental Protection Agency. 

(2) a listing of the states participating in the provisions of this title and a description of the status 

of each state's programs and its accomplishments during the preceding federal fiscal year; 

A table of biennium 2004-2005 accomplishments for each of the participating states with 

Coastal Management Programs and National Estuarine Research Reserves can be found 

in Appendices B and C (See pages 58-59). Project highlights for efforts to address 

coastal habitats, hazards, water quality, public access, community development, and 

waterfront revitalization can be found in the chapter titled, “Progress in Addressing 

Major Goals of the Coastal Zone Management Act” (See pages 21-37). 

(3) an itemization of the allocation of funds to the various coastal states and a breakdown of the 

major projects and areas on which these funds were expended; 

A table outlining fund allocations per state and breakdown across major programs can 

be found in the chapter titled, “Itemization of Allocation of Funds” (See Appendix A, 

page 57).

iv
(4) an identification of any state programs which have been reviewed and disapproved, and a 

statement of the reasons for such action; 

No state programs were found non-adhering to program requirements during the 

biennium 2004-2005. 

(5) a summary of evaluation findings prepared in accordance with subsection (a) of section 312 

[16 USC § 1458(a)], and a description of any sanctions imposed under subsections (c) and (d) of 

section 312 [16 USC § 1458]; 

No sanctions were placed on states as a result of evaluations during the biennium. A 

complete list of Coastal Management and National Estuarine Research Reserve 

programs evaluated according to subsection 312 can be found in the chapter titled, 

“New Developments in 2004-2005” under subheading “Program Evaluations: The 

Coastal Zone Management and National Estuarine Research Reserve Programs” (See 

pages 14-17). 

(6) a listing of all activities and projects which, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) or 

subsection (d) of section 307 [16 USC § 1456(c), (d)], are not consistent with an applicable 

approved state management program; 

 

State coastal management programs review hundreds of activities per year for 

consistency with their approved state coastal management program. Of those, 

approximately 95 percent are certified as consistent. Of the remaining five percent, a 

certain number from non-federal applicants result in appeals to the Secretary of 

Commerce. During the 2004-2005 biennium, there were 14 appeals to the Secretary of 

Commerce. Of those appeals, one resulted in a decision by the Secretary which overrode 

the state’s objection. Eight of the appeals were dismissed by the NOAA Administrator on 

procedural grounds; and five of the appeals were withdrawn by the appellant.

 

(7) a summary of the regulations issued by the Secretary or in effect during the preceding federal 

fiscal year; 

No new regulations were issued by the Secretary during biennium 2004-2005. 

(8) a summary of a coordinated national strategy and program for the Nation's coastal zone 

including identification and discussion of federal, regional, state, and local responsibilities and 

functions therein; 

The National Coastal Zone Management Program is a federal-state partnered program. 

At the Federal level, OCRM has developed a national performance measurement system 

during the biennium for both state coastal management programs and research reserves 

and has begun phased implementation. In addition, a new Strategic Plan (2005-2010) 

was completed for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. On the state level, 

coastal management programs completed assessments of their coastal resources and 

developed five-year strategies for addressing priority issues. Likewise, five state 

v
estuarine research reserves developed revised management plans and received approval 

from OCRM. 

(9) a summary of outstanding problems arising in the administration of this title in order of 

priority; 

There were no major problems during the biennium. 

(10) a description of the economic, environmental, and social consequences of energy activity 

affecting the coastal zone and an evaluation of the effectiveness of financial assistance under 

section 308 [16 USC § 1456a] in dealing with such consequences; 

There was no funding available under section 308 during the biennium. A description of 

changes to federal consistency regulations in response to the Energy Policy Act are 

highlighted in the full Report (See pages 18-19). 

(11) a description and evaluation of applicable interstate and regional planning and coordination 

mechanisms developed by the coastal states; 

The five Gulf of Mexico state governors established the Gulf of Mexico Alliance in 2004 

to develop regional priorities based on recommendations of the U.S. Commission on 

Ocean Policy. Federal and state officials, including OCRM and other NOAA staff, met 

twice in 2005 to develop a framework for a Plan of Action to reduce nutrient loading, 

improve water quality, restore wetlands, identify and characterize Gulf habitats, and 

build environmental education. The final Plan of Action was expected to be announced 

in 2006. (See page 49 for more information).

(12) a summary and evaluation of the research, studies, and training conducted in support of 

coastal zone management; and 

Research and training programs are implemented on all levels of government in support 

of coastal zone management. Some of the programs of note include the System Wide 

Monitoring Program, Graduate Research Fellowship Program, and Coastal Training 

Program, all part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (See pages 38-49 

and Appendix C, page 59). Research on coral reefs and fishing in marine protected 

areas, as well as social science research on governance of marine protected areas and 

preservation of cultural resources, was completed during the biennium (See pages 26 and 

53-57). NOAA also continues research in support of coastal management through its 

National Centers of Coastal and Ocean Science, Cooperative Institute for Coastal and 

Estuarine Environmental Technology, and training through its Coastal Services Center 

(See pages 7-10). 

(13) such other information as may be appropriate. 

Please see the full report for other information on both federal and state 

accomplishments and activities during the biennium. 

vi
(b) Recommendations for legislation. The report required by subsection (a) shall contain such 

recommendations for additional legislation as the Secretary deems necessary to achieve the 

objectives of this title and enhance its effective operation. 

There were no recommendations by the Administration during the biennium. 

(c) Review of other federal programs; report to Congress. 

OCRM completed a review of other federal programs in the early 1980s, and has met this 

requirement. More currently, the President established the U.S. Commission on Ocean 

Policy which reviewed federal coastal and ocean programs and made recommendations 

on improvements to the federal governance of coastal and ocean resources. 

vii
National Strategy for Coastal and Ocean Management: An Overview 

The United States as a Coastal Nation 

 The United States as a Coastal Nation 

The United States is a coastal nation. Our Nation’s 95,331 miles of ocean and Great Lakes 

coastline serve as home to nearly 153 million people, about 53 percent of the population. The 

U.S. coastal zone also hosts a wide mix of economic activities which contribute trillions of 

dollars ($4.5 trillion in 20051

) to the economy each year, and produce half of the Nation’s Gross 

National Product. 

We are a nation fascinated by the water that surrounds our country and in awe of its tremendous 

system of inland freshwater lakes. However, despite the beauty — spectacular sunrises and 

sunsets, expansive sandy beaches and dunes, and a diverse wildlife population — we often fail to 

recognize our dependence on coastal resources to satisfy our increasing appetite for energy, 

goods, and services. 

Located along the coastlines in the far north reaches of Alaska, the Atlantic and Pacific regions, 

the Gulf of Mexico, and around the impressive North American Great Lakes system are 

industries that keep our economy and country moving. 

Coastal waters are one of the Nation’s greatest assets, yet they are affected by pollutants from a 

variety of sources. While progress has been made in reducing point source pollution, nonpoint 

source pollution has increased and is the primary cause of nutrient enrichment, hypoxia, harmful 

algal blooms, toxic contamination, and other problems affecting coastal waters. Nonpoint source 

pollution occurs when rainfall and snowmelt wash pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides, 

bacteria, viruses, pet waste, sediments, oil, chemicals, and litter into our rivers and coastal 

waters. Other pollutants, such as mercury and some organic chemicals, can travel vast distances 

through the atmosphere before reaching the ocean. Our failure to adequately manage human 

activities that affect the Nation’s oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes compromises ecological 

integrity and diminishes our ability to fully realize the potential of coastal regions, which costs 

jobs and revenue, threatens human health, and puts our future at risk. 

Industries operating along our coastlines — such as fisheries, energy plants, marine 

transportation and shipping, and recreation—accounted for nearly $42 billion of the Gross 

National Product in 19852

. Other activities linked to the coast — fish processing and marine 

equipment manufacturing, for example —contributed another estimated $12.17 billion of the 

Gross National Product, while service oriented activities, such as real estate and wholesale and 

retail operations, contributed $1.27 trillion in 19853

. 

These industries further attract labor and a continuous migration of people from the inland to the 

coasts. Since 1980, coastal population growth has generally reflected the same rate of growth as 

the Nation at large. The increasing population density, coupled with the rapidly expanding 

economy, makes the task of managing coastal resources increasingly difficult. Our coasts battle 

1
ecosystem degradation and pollution, overfishing, invasive species, and sea-level rise. Adding to 

the challenge, the Nation’s coastal population is expected to increase by more than 7 million by 

2008, and 12 million residents by 20154

. 

Despite growing public awareness, we continue to grapple with the challenges facing coastal 

development. We search for solutions to protect and secure our coasts for future generations, yet 

the aftermaths of hurricanes make front page news. Coastal management remains an urgent and 

critical mission for the Nation. 

The Importance of Our Coasts

• Coastal watershed jobs: 60 million5. 

• Ports handle over $700 billion in merchandise.6

• Cruise industry and passengers account for $12 billion in annual expenditures.7

• Nationwide, retail expenditures on recreational boating exceed $30 billion.8 

• Tourism and recreation are two of the Nation’s fastest-growing business sectors.9

• More than 37 million people and 19 million homes have been added to coastal areas during 

the last three decades, driving up real estate values and requiring ever greater support 

services.10

• On average, 3,600 people per day are moving to coastal counties, suggesting that by 2015 

coastal populations will reach a total of 165 million. With another 180 million people visiting 

the coast each year, the pressure on our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes will intensify, as will 

the need for effective management.11

2
 Addressing the Challenges of Growth Through the Coastal Zone Management Act 

In 1972, the U.S. Congress recognized the importance of meeting the challenge of continued 

growth in the coastal zone by passing the Coastal Zone Management Act. The Act, administered 

by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), provides for management of 

the Nation’s coastal resources, including the Great Lakes, by balancing economic development 

with environmental conservation. Careful management is necessary to ensure our Nation can 

enjoy clean water and a healthy ecosystem that support a vibrant coastal economy. 

A State/Federal Partnership 

The Coastal Zone Management Act provides a unique partnership of federal and state 

governments, encouraging harmony in approaches to protecting both economic development and 

conservation. The Act outlines two national programs: the National Coastal Zone Management 

Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. 

The National Coastal Zone Management Program addresses competing land and water uses in 

coastal areas, while the National Estuarine Research Reserves serve as field laboratories to 

provide a greater understanding of estuaries and how humans impact them. Through the Coastal 

Zone Management Act, Congress crafted a unique framework for coastal and ocean management 

with several key features: 

• Implementation is tailored by state or territory 

 The Act recognizes that states and territories are responsible for implementing coastal 

management and estuarine research reserve programs, designing programs which best fit their 

coastal needs and issues. The Federal Government assists with program oversight and works 

toward integrating and coordinating the state and national coastal management vision while 

promoting coastal resource stewardship and balanced application of federal policies. State and 

territory coastal management programs typically tackle such issues as public access, beach and 

bluff erosion, water quality, coastal hazards (including hurricanes and flooding), coastal 

development, and siting of energy facilities. 

• A voluntary partnership 

 Participation in the Coastal Zone Management Act is voluntary, but states and territories are 

offered several key incentives to participate in the program. One incentive, federal funding, 

assists states and territories with their financial needs in implementing the goals of the Act. A 

NOAA-approved program receives annual federal funding that is matched by state/territory 

dollars to implement and operate coastal management and estuarine research reserves 

programs. A second and unique incentive, called federal consistency, requires the Federal 

Government to be consistent with state laws, regulations, and policies that are part of a state’s 

or territory’s approved coastal management program. 

• Program objectives that are balanced 

 With its call to “preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, to restore or enhance the 

resources of the Nation’s coastal zone,” the Coastal Zone Management Act was one of the first 

3
to embrace the notion that it is possible, and essential, to balance coastal development while 

maintaining environmental quality. 

• Encompasses entire coastal area 

 While other coastal and ocean programs manage single elements of a coastal area, the Coastal 

Zone Management Act aims to manage entire coastal areas, including both land and water 

onshore and offshore, and to involve ocean uses such as fisheries, recreation, and marine 

transportation. This inclusive approach recognizes the interdependence of a wide variety of 

coastal uses, and their impacts on one another. 

• Programs are managed for performance 

The Coastal Zone Management Act calls for the continuing review of the performance of the 

states and territories with coastal management and estuarine research reserve programs. The 

periodic reviews offer an assessment and detailed findings concerning the extent to which the 

state has implemented and enforced the program, including the opportunity for members of the 

public to voice their opinions on individual programs. 

The Coastal Zone Management Act recognizes that states and territories are the appropriate 

government level for implementing coastal management and estuarine research reserve 

programs. Since its inception, 34 of 35 eligible states and territories have established coastal 

management programs and received federal approval from NOAA, with the final state, Illinois, 

slated to complete the development of its program in fiscal year 2006-2007. These state and 

territory coastal management programs address a wide range of issues such as coastal 

development, water quality, erosion, public access, location of energy facilities, and preparations 

for coastal hazards like hurricanes and flooding. Individual programs are also working jointly on 

regional efforts to address common concerns. 

National Estuarine Research Reserves 

The United States is also home to a network of 26 protected areas representing different biogeographic regions set aside for long-term research, water-quality monitoring, education, and 

coastal stewardship. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System, a partnership between 

the Federal Government and coastal states, protects more than one million acres of estuarine land 

and water, providing essential habitat for wildlife; offering educational opportunities for 

students, teachers, and the public; and serving as a platform for research. A goal of the System 

is to have at least one site representing each of the 29 bio-geographic regions and sub-regions. 

NOAA has been working with organizations in the State of Texas on the designation of the 

27th reserve, Mission-Aransas, north of Corpus Christi, which encompasses unique and 

diverse estuarine habitats found in the western Gulf of Mexico. The Reserve will add a new biogeographic sub-region to the Reserve System. 

4
States with active Coastal Management and Estuarine Reserve Programs 

Working with State Partners on Coastal Management Issues 

NOAA, through its Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, provides national 

leadership, strategic direction, and guidance to state coastal management and estuarine research 

reserves. OCRM assists states in the development and implementation of coastal management 

programs and reserves; allocates federal funds to implement programs; provides evaluations and 

recommendations for improvements; assists with the interpretation of statutory and regulatory 

requirements; helps programs obtain technical and informational support; and works with states 

and territories, and other federal agencies to implement regional approaches and solutions to 

coastal and ocean governance. 

Since the inception of Coastal Zone Management Act nearly 35 years ago, OCRM has assisted 

states with over $1 billion in federal dollars to address critical coastal issues, supporting projects 

that are good for the economy and the environment. In the 2004-2005 biennium, over $203.5 

million were distributed to states and territories for projects that restore valuable habitats, 

revitalize urban waterfronts, enhance public access, and protect our coasts. 

Funds spent at the state level on improving the coastal zone stimulate investment in local 

economies from both private and public sources. Management practices developed and refined 

in one coastal management or estuarine research reserve program are often transferable to 

another, reducing the need—and expense—with beginning from the ground up. In addition, 

technical expertise, such as geographic information systems or remote sensing, and other 

decision support tools, are available to coastal and estuarine program managers through NOAA’s 

Coastal Services Center in Charleston, South Carolina. 

5
The Coastal Zone Management Act also provides states with a mechanism to reduce conflicts 

between states and federal agencies. Through the Act’s federal consistency provision, any 

federal activities must be consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the enforceable 

policies of the state coastal management programs approved by NOAA. Federal consistency is a 

major incentive for coastal states to have an approved coastal program. 

6
NOAA Resources Supporting States and Territories 

 Coastal Services Center 

NOAA established the Coastal Services Center in 1994 to serve state coastal management 

programs created by the Coastal Zone Management Act. The Center provides new sources of 

expertise, information, and technology to the state programs, focusing on geographical 

information systems, remote sensing, training, and social sciences. The staff combines forces 

with local, state, and federal partners to develop products that address specific coastal resource 

management issues. 

Products developed by the Center vary widely, from training programs that teach leadership and 

technical skills, to the land cover data that is used to detect trends and manage coastal resources. 

The Center also develops decision support tools. These tools perform a variety of services, 

assisting coastal managers to identify and prioritize lands for conservation, and providing 

visualization and predictive capabilities to various development scenarios and their potential 

impacts. 

Lessons learned from, and the technologies developed by, each project are shared with other 

states and communities facing similar situations. Below are some examples of the assistance 

provided by the Center in the 2004-2005 biennium. 

Storm Tracking and Forecasting 

Most hurricane-related deaths are flood-related. A new tool developed by the Coastal Services 

Center helps emergency managers predict and track floodwaters. The HURREVAC Inland 

Flood Module is part of a restricted-use computer program used by government officials to track 

hurricanes and assist in evacuation decision making. The new component provides the latest 

flood watches and warnings, rainfall, and river forecast data. Rain forecasts for one, two, and 

three days and lists of potentially affected areas are available, as well as data graphs for major, 

moderate, minor, and 100-year flood predictions. 

International Forums for Coastal Managers 

In summer 2005, NOAA brought together coastal officials from around the world to learn 

about new projects and ideas. More than 800 professionals gathered for the Coastal Zone 

Conference ’05, the World’s largest conference for the coastal resource management community. 

Participants attended workshops, presentations, exhibits, concurrent sessions, and other events. 

The focus was on helping each other find new ways to address the land and sea related issues 

that are crucial to the field of coastal resource management. 

Predicting Water Quality Impacts 

A new computer tool helps coastal managers and local officials predict potential water quality 

impacts to streams and rivers from erosion and nonpoint pollution. The Nonpoint Source 

7
Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (N-SPECT) allows users to input different land cover 

scenarios to compute estimated potential impacts to water. The N-SPECT was developed as a 

decision-support tool for the Wai ́anae area of O ́ahu, Hawaii; however, the tool can be adapted 

for use in other coastal regions. 

Understanding the Human Dimension of Coastal Management 

Sometimes used in conjunction with the term “human dimensions,” social science is the process 

of explaining, describing, and predicting how individuals and groups act and behave. Some of 

the most challenging decisions in coastal management depend on the relationship between 

people and the environment. The social science Web site12, developed by the Center, showcases 

many of the tools, methods, case studies, and references that can be used to help coastal officials 

more adequately address the people side of coastal resource management.

Tools to Manage Hawaii’s Coast 

The State of Hawaii faces many challenges due to its finite land and water resources and its 

dependence on imported consumptive goods. To develop a natural resource management plan, a 

compilation of scientific and cultural information was developed for the coastal managers in the 

Wai ́anae region of O ́ahu, Hawaii. The effort includes a tool developed to examine potential 

effects of land use changes on near shore resources, and narrative and graphic information on 

Wai ́anae’s terrestrial and marine environment, weather and climate, socioeconomic 

characteristics, and historic and cultural traditions. 

Improving the Coastal Leaders of Tomorrow 

The Coastal Management Fellowship is a 2-year program that matches postgraduate students 

with state coastal management programs to work on a variety of projects. The state programs get 

fresh perspectives to help implement important initiatives, and the top students in the field get an 

important real life introduction to coastal zone management. Since its inception in 1996, the 

fellowship program has matched 52 postgraduate students with 19 state programs. 

Training Coastal Managers 

State and local coastal managers are the Nation’s front line defense when it comes to managing 

coastal resources. NOAA offers several training courses to help these professionals increase 

their skills. Classes include technical courses for remote sensing and geographic information 

systems, as well as management courses that explore, for example, the impacts of visitor use on 

coastal resources and how to effectively run a public hearing. In fiscal year 2005, 1,554 people 

in 23 of the Nation’s states and territories took advantage of this opportunity. The entire 

curriculum is available on the Center’s Web site13. 

Remote Sensing Technology 

State and local coastal programs use remote sensing technology to assess topography, land cover, 

and benthic habitats over a large area. The Coastal Services Center provides much of the data 

8
and training needed to use this powerful tool. The agency has developed land cover maps for 

657,783 square miles of the U.S. coastal regions, and has acquired and developed a total of 9,266 

square miles of benthic data in 2005. Approximately 61,300 square miles of topography and 

bathymetry data have been mapped for the use of state and local coastal programs. Visit the 

Center’s Web site14 to learn more. 

 The Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology 

The Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET), 

established as a joint partnership between NOAA and the University of New Hampshire in 1997, 

is located on the University’s campus in Durham. CICEET translates the problems of coastal 

management into the research priorities of scientists at the leading edge of their fields. Through 

competitive funding programs and strategic partnerships, CICEET develops innovative tools and 

methods that are affordable, effective, and available to coastal managers nationwide. CICEETsponsored researchers are committed to collaboration between coastal management and scientists 

in other fields to provide the tools necessary to resolve issues of common concern. 

CICEET makes these tools available to coastal managers through training, outreach, and an 

active and evolving technology utilization program. During the past two years, CICEET funded 

29 projects at 18 of the 26 national estuarine research reserves. CICEET projects are designed to 

develop new and cost-effective tools to: 

• Detect toxic contaminants in estuarine and coastal ecosystems, and to reduce or eliminate 

toxic contaminant input to coastal watersheds; 

• Promote innovative detection and prevention techniques for reducing microbial 

contaminants in estuaries; 

• Detect and reduce nutrient enrichment and eutrophication in coastal waters; 

• Develop technologies or methods to restore coastal and estuarine habitat; and 

• Make it easier to access and use coastal and estuarine data. 

Storm Water Technology Evaluation and Verification Program 

Storm water runoff from urban, residential, and agricultural areas has been identified as the 

major cause of water quality impairment in the United States. Phase II of the Clean Water Act 

established a schedule for municipalities to meet storm water discharge control regulations by 

2003. The regulations are clear. How municipalities will comply, however, remains unclear. 

The market is full of storm water control products without credible third-party data on the 

performance of these systems. 

In response to this lack of information, CICEET initiated a Technology Evaluation and 

Verification Program in 2002. The Program focused on engineered storm water treatment 

technologies and, in collaboration with industry and government, designed, developed, and 

began operation of a facility that tests storm water control designs. This facility enables officials 

to see systems in operation before deciding whether to implement them and provide an 

opportunity to address one of the major causes of coastal pollution. 

9
Technology Commercialization 

As human activity on coasts and inland areas increases, so does the problem of nonpoint source 

pollution in estuaries and coastal waters. Agriculture, urban development, wastewater treatment, 

and fossil fuel combustion all contribute to the problem. CICEET-sponsored projects have 

yielded seven commercially available technologies to help coastal resource managers monitor 

water bodies for nutrients and other types of pollution. 

Commercialized CICEET-developed technologies that monitor microbes, nutrients, and other 

chemicals are listed below. 

• YSI 9600 Nutrient Monitor: Measures nitrate and nitrite concentrations in situ at intervals 

as short as 30 minutes for up to 30 days. 

• YSI Fixed (6950) and Pontoon (6951) mounted profiling systems: Sensor modules that 

allow profiles of water column properties to be collected. 

• SubChemPak Analyzer: Takes in situ high resolution, real-time measurements of 

environmentally important chemicals. 

• SEAS Copper sensor: Real-time in situ analysis of copper contamination. 

• Luminex: High throughput assay to detect sewage indicating bacteria and toxic algae. 

• Data Systems Controller: Provides automated real-time transmission, quality 

assurance/quality control, and Internet posting of water quality and weather data collected 

from multiple instruments. 

• Remote Access Sensor Link: A satellite-based data communications system that makes 

real-time data from remote locations available to user via a seamless Web site. 

10
New Developments in 2004-2005 

 Illinois Poised to Become the 35th State with CZM Program 

 

In 2004, the State of Illinois renewed efforts to gain approval for a coastal management program. 

This followed initial work, including a preliminary program draft, completed by the Illinois 

Department of Transportation and the Division of Water Resources several years ago. From 

1974 through 1978, the State received Coastal Zone Management Act Section 305 Program 

Development Grants of over $1.7 million. OCRM began working with the Illinois Department 

of Natural Resources in 2004 to identify and receive input from its various coastal constituents; 

articulate major issues the State Coastal Management Program would address; determine a vision 

for the future of the Illinois shoreline and its communities; identify the authority the State has to 

manage coastal land and water development; and identify support from other state agencies 

and/or regional councils. 

The purpose of the Illinois Lake Michigan Coastal Program will be to enhance the State’s role in 

planning for and managing its natural and cultural resources in the coastal region. The Illinois 

Department of Natural Resources has been designated the lead agency for developing the State’s 

Coastal Management Program. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of 

the Lieutenant Governor are assisting in this effort. The State Department of Natural Resources 

held open houses and workshops on developing a coastal management program in the fall of 

2005. Through these workshops, the State worked with local governments, interest groups, and 

interested citizens to establish a coastal program boundary, identify all areas of particular 

concern or areas meriting special attention, and establish a framework and process for program 

administration. The workshops are being used as a forum for input and discussion for inclusion 

in the Coastal Management Program plan. The inclusion of Illinois within the Coastal Zone 

Management System is part of the President’s Ocean Action Plan. 

 Support for Hurricane Recovery 

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought unprecedented damage to the Gulf Coast. In the weeks 

following the storms, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) embarked on a 

partnership with the State of Louisiana to develop priority long-term recovery plans for coastal 

parishes. FEMA asked OCRM for assistance, and OCRM staff members were detailed to work 

in the field in Louisiana to support the long-term community recovery process. OCRM staff 

provided expertise on coastal resource management, habitat restoration, and port redevelopment. 

They ensured that the Louisiana Coastal Resources Program and other NOAA programs were 

well coordinated with the long-term community recovery process. 

Coastal management programs in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama – with OCRM’s 

support – have been at the forefront of hurricane recovery. Louisiana and Mississippi Coastal 

Management Programs are full participants in their States’ recovery commissions. Their role 

in the recovery commissions covers issues such as debris removal, habitat protection and 

restoration, and provides assistance to local communities seeking to become more disaster 

resilient. 

11
All Gulf Coast states are currently assessing how their coastal management programs address 

coastal hazards, like hurricanes, and are developing five-year enhancement strategies. The 

assessments review the current suite of technical tools, policies, and management programs in 

place in the state, and recommend ways to make improvements that will make the states more 

disaster resilient. Both Louisiana and Mississippi are integrating their coastal management 

program enhancement strategies with the recommendations emerging from the Governor-led 

recovery commissions. OCRM is providing technical and financial support under the Coastal 

Zone Management Act to assist in these efforts. 

 Progress on Establishing Texas National Estuarine Research Reserve 

Since August 2002, NOAA has been working with the University of Texas Marine Science 

Institute and local organizations to designate the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research 

Reserve in Texas. The first phase of the designation process, site nomination, was completed in 

September 2004. After a rigorous site selection process, conducted by committees convened by 

the Marine Science Institute, the Mission-Aransas estuary was chosen as the location of the 

proposed reserve. Located on the southeastern coast of Texas, 30 miles north of Corpus Christi, 

the 185,648-acre Mission-Aransas Reserve encompasses unique and diverse estuarine habitats 

found in the western Gulf of Mexico. The Reserve will add a new biogeographic sub-region to 

the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. 

The site nomination package was approved by the State of Texas and NOAA in 2004. The 

University of Texas Marine Science Institute held several public scoping meetings about the 

proposed Reserve in November 2004. Following those meetings, a draft environmental impact 

statement and a draft management plan were developed and completed for the proposed MissionAransas National Estuarine Research Reserve in Texas. Public meetings to address the draft 

environmental impact statement and draft management plan were held in late 2005. 

 Coastal Zone Management Act Performance Measurement System 

The coastal states and territories and NOAA have had considerable success in achieving the 

goals of the Coastal Zone Management Act. Quantifying the successes of the Act at the national 

level, however, presents a challenge. The challenge stems from the complexity of coastal 

management issues, the physical and ecological diversity of the Nation’s coasts, and the 

difficulty of quantifying the value of sound management in preventing harmful environmental 

impacts. To meet this challenge, OCRM and its partner program continue to develop and 

implement a national system of coastal management performance measures to communicate the 

effectiveness of coastal management and estuarine research reserve programs authorized under 

the Act. 

In 2004, OCRM completed a year-long pilot phase of the National Coastal Zone Management 

Performance Measurement System with coastal management programs in the Northern Mariana 

Islands, Florida, Maine, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. The coastal 

management programs in Alaska and New York also provided input throughout the process. 

These programs tested and evaluated performance measures in the following six categories, 

which are tied to the Act’s Section 303 objectives: coastal habitats, coastal water quality, public 

12
access, coastal hazards, coastal dependent uses and community development, and governmental 

coordination and decision-making. All 34 state coastal management programs began a phased 

implementation of the performance measures in 2005. 

In the fall of 2005, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System updated its 5-year strategic 

plan. This plan focuses on research reserve contributions to understanding and transferring 

information about four key coastal management issues: land use and population trends; habitat 

loss and alteration; water quality degradation; and biological threats such as invasive species and 

over-harvesting. A set of performance measures that correspond to the objectives of this plan 

was drafted to supplement ongoing performance data collection. The Reserve System’s Coastal 

Training Program also began collecting performance measurement baseline indicators in 2005. 

This baseline information will be used to create minimum standards and performance targets for 

the Coastal Training Program. 

The Performance Measurement System establishes national and individual program baselines 

and provides programs with an important management tool. To support its partners in 

implementation, OCRM has been working to identify support strategies such as data 

management, training, and site specific technical assistance. This System serves as a powerful 

tool to quantify accomplishments, track pressures on coastal and estuarine resources, assess 

resource conditions, and measure success in achieving the goals of the Coastal Zone 

Management Act, as well as the objectives in the coastal management and estuarine research 

reserve programs strategic plans. 

 Coastal State Program Enhancement 

Section 309 of the Coastal Zone Management Act established the voluntary Coastal Zone 

Enhancement Grants Program to encourage states and territories to develop program changes 

in one or more of the following nine coastal zone enhancement areas: 

• Wetlands 

• Coastal hazards 

• Public access 

• Marine debris 

• Cumulative and secondary impacts 

• Special area management plans 

• Ocean resources 

• Energy and government facility siting 

• Aquaculture 

Under this program, the Secretary of Commerce issues awards to states and territories that 

develop and submit program changes for federal approval that will attain outlined objectives 

in one or several enhancement areas. Section 309 of the Act further requires OCRM to 

work cooperatively with state coastal management programs to identify priority needs for 

improvement, and to evaluate and rank state and territory funding proposals. 

13
Section 309 requires each coastal management program to periodically assess the nine 

enhancement areas in its state. Coastal management programs then develop multi-year strategies 

to address high priority issues. The strategies outline activities and funding levels of related 

program changes. Federal funding under Section 309 does not require matching state funds. 

In March 2005, revised Section 309 assessments and strategies guidance was sent to state coastal 

program managers. The guidance was revised to coordinate with the National Coastal Zone 

Management Act Performance Measurement System. Since the timeline to implement the 

Performance Measurement System does not coincide with the Section 309 time schedule, state 

and territory programs are not required to include indicator data in their assessments. In the 

short term, development of the Performance Measurement System should complement the 

development of new assessments and strategies. In the long term, the System will aid in 

monitoring the effectiveness of the program changes made under the Coastal Management 

Enhancement Grants Program. 

 Program Evaluation: The National Coastal Zone Management and National Estuarine 

Research Reserve Programs 

OCRM is required by the Coastal Zone Management Act to perform periodic performance 

evaluations of all state and territorial coastal management programs and national estuarine 

research reserves. Program evaluations generally occur at least once every 3 years. These 

evaluations assess whether the state lead agency is implementing and enforcing the essential 

elements of the approved program; playing a leadership role in coastal issues; monitoring the 

actions of state agencies and local governments; basing decisions on enforceable policies of the 

program; assuring the opportunity for full public participation; addressing national coastal zone 

management needs; and adhering to the terms and conditions of any financial assistance awards. 

The evaluation process includes an extensive visit to the site by an OCRM evaluation team. 

Prior to the site visit, the evaluation team reviews program documents, grants, work products, 

and correspondence. During the site visit, the evaluation team interviews program staff 

members, along with other local and state authorities, and various public and private interest 

groups. The team also conducts one or more public meetings to give citizens an opportunity to 

express their views about the operation of the program. 

During the 2004-2005 biennium, OCRM issued final evaluation findings of the following 

programs: 

Coastal Management Programs 

• Alabama 

• Florida 

• Maryland 

• Massachusetts 

• Minnesota 

• Mississippi 

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• New Hampshire 

• New Jersey 

• New York 

• North Carolina 

• Ohio 

• Oregon 

• Texas 

• Virginia 

• Washington 

• Wisconsin 

National Estuarine Research Reserves 

• Chesapeake Bay (Maryland) 

• Chesapeake Bay (Virginia) 

• Grand Bay (Mississippi) 

• Great Bay (New Hampshire) 

• Guana Tolomato Matanzas (Florida) 

• Jacques Cousteau/Mullica River (New Jersey) 

• Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island) 

• Old Woman Creek (Ohio) 

• Padilla Bay (Washington) 

• South Slough (Oregon) 

• Waquoit Bay (Massachusetts) 

• Weeks Bay (Alabama) 

OCRM also conducted evaluation site visits for the following coastal management programs 

during the biennium: American Samoa, California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Pennsylvania, 

Puerto Rico, and South Carolina; and the following national estuarine research reserves: Elkhorn 

Slough (California), Hudson River (New York), North Inlet-Winyah Bay (South Carolina), 

Rookery Bay (Florida), Sapelo Island (Georgia), Tijuana River (California), and Wells (Maine). 

These evaluations were conducted toward the end of the 2004-2005 biennium and, as a result, 

the evaluation findings for these programs were expected to be published following the end of 

this biennium. 

Common Themes 

Managing a coastal program or reserve became more difficult for many states during the 

biennium as a result of diminished budgets and a reduction of support at the state’s political 

level. The continued downward slide in financial support for state coastal management and 

estuarine research reserves was a major concern expressed by many programs during the 

evaluation process. The reduced funding levels left uncertainties for some key projects, staff 

vacancies unfilled, and other resources under financial pressure. In addition, many states 

continued to impose travel restrictions, prohibiting staff from attending coastal conferences and 

seminars. 

15
Faced with doing the same job with the same (or less) funding, however, programs have become 

more resourceful. The use of technology—high speed internet connections and geographical 

information systems, for example—have helped bridge the monetary gap for many programs. 

The ability to rapidly source, compile, and share information using this technology has been a 

tremendous aid for both community development and coastal habitat issues. 

State programs are also working more closely together, partnering more frequently, becoming 

more innovative, saving financial resources, and preventing duplication of efforts on similar 

projects. In the U.S. Territory of American Samoa, for example, users group, consisting of 

representatives of many agencies, meets regularly to share information about activities related to 

geographic information systems. 

Concerns over public access continue to be at the forefront of nearly every coastal program. 

Coastal management programs continue to make significant progress on public access issues 

with some unique solutions. In California, the State’s Coastal Trail—a contiguous passage along 

the entire length of the State’s shoreline—continues to develop. The State also worked during 

the 2004-2005 biennium to address expiring offers-to-dedicate, which are offers made by 

landowners to grant a public access easement on their property. Programs are also finding more 

innovative ways to help visitors locate public access points. In Connecticut, coastal points of 

access are available in an electronic Coastal Access Guide. It is also becoming more and more 

common to require public access as a condition of a development permit in many states. 

Programs to address water quality issues continue to expand and evolve. The Clean Marinas 

Program—initiatives geared to improve marina and recreational boating facilities management 

through practices such as environmentally sound vessel maintenance, spill prevention, and 

proper sewage disposal—spread to six additional states. Nineteen coastal states have now 

instituted Clean Marinas Programs. Likewise, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System 

Wide Monitoring Program is ever more frequently able to provide water quality data to aid 

coastal managers and others in determining where to target water quality improvement 

initiatives. 

Concern over coastal hazards—and the development of plans to address them—continues to be a 

major focus of state coastal management programs. Long before the devastating tsunami of 

December 2004 and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma of 2005, program evaluators reported 

many coastal programs were focused on more “pre-hazard” planning, examining everything from 

hurricane preparedness to soil erosion. 

 Developments in Federal Consistency 

The Coastal Zone Management Act strikes a balance between the need to conserve coastal 

resources, and the need to provide for development, recreation, and other priority uses of the 

coastal zone. The Act gives states the primary authority to determine how best to achieve this 

balance, but requires them to give priority consideration to coastal dependent activities that are 

of national interest, e.g., siting of energy facilities, national defense, and ports. 

16
Under the Act, a state’s primary ability to review federal actions is through Section 307, 

commonly known as the federal consistency provision. Federal consistency requires that federal 

agency activities be consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the enforceable policies 

of state coastal management programs approved by NOAA. Activities by non-federal applicants 

for federal authorizations and funding must be fully consistent with the enforceable policies of 

coastal management programs. 

Because actions by the Federal Government can impact resources and uses of the coastal zone, 

the federal consistency authority is the primary incentive for many states to participate in the 

coastal management program. While there is often negotiation between federal agencies and 

non-federal applicants under this authority, states concur with approximately 93 to 95 percent of 

all federal actions reviewed. 

In 1990, the application of federal consistency was changed from federal agency activities that 

“directly affect” the coastal zone to “effects on any land or water use or natural resource of the 

coastal zone.” By removing the word “directly,” Congress clarified the importance of the causal 

relationship between federal actions and coastal effects. Following this change, in 1996, NOAA 

began an effort to revise the federal consistency regulations, which had essentially remained 

unchanged since first promulgated in 1979. NOAA published a final rule revising the federal 

consistency regulations on December 8, 2000. 

OCRM has updated its federal consistency website to now include a wide range of federal 

consistency information, including an overview, rulemakings and consistency resources. 

Recent Developments – Energy 

In February 2001, Vice President Cheney established the National Energy Policy Development 

Group to bring together business, government, local communities, and citizens to promote a 

dependable, affordable, and environmentally sound national energy policy. The Energy Report 

was sent to President Bush on May 16, 2001. 

The Energy Report contains numerous recommendations to meet these goals. The Report found 

the effectiveness of Coastal Zone Management Act programs is “sometimes lost through a lack 

of clearly defined requirements and information needs from federal and state entities, as well as 

uncertain deadlines during the process.” To address these issues, the Energy Report 

recommended that the Department of Commerce “determine if changes are needed regarding 

energy-related activities and the siting of energy facilities in the coastal zone.”15

To address these recommendations, NOAA published an Advanced Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking in July 2002, seeking comments on whether improvements should be made to 

NOAA’s federal consistency regulations. In June 2003, NOAA published a proposed rule 

responding to the recommendations contained in the Energy Report and comments received on 

the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.16 NOAA received 3,066 comments from the 

House of Representatives, the Senate, states, industry, environmental groups, federal agencies, 

and the public. The proposed rule, related public documents, and comments are available 

online.17 

17
NOAA carefully evaluated the comments received on the proposed rule and submitted a draft 

final rule to the Office of Management and Budget. In June 2004, NOAA withdrew its draft 

final rule from the Office of Management and Budget, believing that it would be premature to 

issue a final rule before the president-appointed U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy had a chance 

to review and address comments from the governors on its draft report of recommendations. The 

final Ocean Commission Report noted the offshore energy issues raised in the Energy Report and 

that NOAA had issued a proposed rule that would address those issues. The Ocean Commission 

Report did not make any substantive comments on NOAA’s rulemaking. 

In January 2005, following issuance of the Ocean Commission Report in late 2004, NOAA 

reinitiated the Office of Management and Budget intergovernmental review process in order to 

publish a final rule. On August 8, 2005, the President signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 

(Pub. L. No. 109-58). The Energy Policy Act mandates certain deadlines for Coastal Zone 

Management Act appeals, and specified that the initial record to be used for appeals of energy 

projects is the record consolidated by the lead federal permitting agency. NOAA modified the 

draft final rule to account for the Energy Policy Act. On January 5, 2006, NOAA published the 

Final Rule in the Federal Register (71 Fed. Reg. 787-831 (January 5, 2006)). OCRM’s federal 

consistency web page contains the Final Rule and a public information document summarizing 

the changes. 

Federal Consistency Workshops 

During the fall of 2004, OCRM completed its second round of regional workshops on the 

Coastal Zone Management Act federal consistency requirement. The workshops were well 

attended and participants found them very helpful. State and federal coastal management 

partners have commented that the federal consistency workshops are one of the key management 

assistance activities provided by OCRM. 

OCRM’s federal consistency workshops aim to: (1) provide a basic understanding of federal 

consistency; (2) discuss in more detail some of the problem areas that have occurred over the 

past few years; and (3) provide a forum for states and federal agencies to learn about each others’ 

programs, coastal management concerns, and federal consistency procedures. The objective is to 

help states and federal agencies effectively implement their programs by educating personnel on 

the consistency requirements, learning about each others’ programs, and establishing effective 

working relationships. 

OCRM held its first round of regional workshops in the late 1990’s. The second round of 

workshops began in late 2001 through 2002 for the Northeastern States, Mid-Atlantic States, 

Great Lakes States, Alaska and the Pacific Islands. The workshops in fall 2004 completed this 

second round of assistance. 

The workshops, primarily for state and federal agency personnel working in the coastal 

management field, include state agency staff, state attorney general staff, and federal agency staff 

and attorneys (from local, regional and headquarters offices). Other participants have included 

local government personnel, government contractors, and members of industry and 

18
environmental groups. Workshops were held on the following dates and at the locations 

described below: 

• October 5, 2004, California Workshop, San Francisco. Eighty-one people registered/attended. 

• October 7, 2004, Pacific Northwest Workshop (for Oregon and Washington), Portland, 

Oregon. Forty-eight people registered/attended. 

• October 19, 2004, Southeast Workshop (for North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia), 

Wilmington, North Carolina. Fifty people registered/attended. 

• December 1, 2004, Gulf Workshop (for Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas), 

New Orleans, Louisiana. Sixty-six people registered/attended. 

• December 14, 2004, Caribbean Workshop (for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands), San Juan. 

Fifty-three people registered/attended. 

OCRM is considering a third round of regional federal consistency workshops, possibly starting 

in fall 2006. Future workshops will depend on availability of funding. Further information on 

federal consistency and OCRM’s federal consistency workshops can be found at OCRM’s 

federal consistency Web site.18

 Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee Delivers First Set of 

Recommendations 

The Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee finalized its first set of 

recommendations in 2005, and members voted unanimously to approve them. The 

recommendations were delivered to the Departments of Commerce and Interior in 

June 2005. 

The Report, which is consistent with the Administration’s U.S. Ocean Action Plan, recommends 

processes to establish a national system of marine protected areas built upon existing sites and 

new areas that meet specific criteria. The committee states that the system’s goal should be “to 

enhance effective stewardship, lasting protection, and sustainable use of the Nation’s natural and 

cultural marine resources with due consideration of the interests of and implications for all who 

use and care about our marine environment.” 

Highlights of some of the committee recommendations are: 

• Primary responsibility for the creation and management of marine protected areas must lie 

with existing legal, statutory, and legislative authorities to the extent feasible. 

• The public, user groups, tribes, and state and local governments must be integral parts of the 

nomination, planning, implementation, evaluation, and adaptive management process. 

19
• There must be awareness of and respect for the sovereignty of states, territories, tribes, and 

local jurisdictions. International commitments must also be respected. 

• Incentives for participation and cooperation by government agencies and by existing and 

future stakeholders must be provided. Incentives might include training, technical assistance, 

or funding to offset the costs of participating in the national program. 

20
Progress in Addressing the Major Goals of the Coastal Zone Management Act

Section 303 of the Coastal Zone Management Act finds that it is the national policy to protect, 

preserve, develop, and where possible restore or enhance the resources of the coastal zone for 

this and succeeding generations. This section also describes the minimal contents of a state 

coastal management program. During the last biennium, 2002-2003, NOAA completed a study 

to establish a national performance measurement system to more effectively measure the 

accomplishments under the Coastal Zone Management Act. The study identified six broadbased focus areas to capture the major objectives of the Act: coastal habitats, coastal hazards, 

coastal water quality, public access, coastal community development, and coastal dependent 

uses. 

This section describes accomplishments in the 2004-2005 biennium in each of these six goal 

areas: 

 Coastal Habitats 

As described in Section 303 (2)(A), the Coastal 

Zone Management Act calls for the protection 

of natural resources, including wetlands, 

floodplains, estuaries, beaches, dunes, barrier 

islands, coral reefs, and fish and wildlife and 

their habitat, within the coastal zone. Coastal 

habitats are vital, providing water filtration, 

storing floodwaters, serving as breeding 

grounds for birds, fish, and other wildlife, 

among others. These sensitive habitats face 

significant pressure from development, 

nonpoint source pollution, and population 

growth and tourism. 

Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation 

Program 

NOAA has continued to implement the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program 

(CELCP), established by the Appropriations Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-77) to help protect estuaries 

and coastal lands. The program provides coastal states with funding for projects that ensure 

conservation of these areas for the benefit of future generations.19

CELCP funds are intended to complement current federal, state, and local coastal and estuarine 

conservation plans. Projects under this program are intended to: 

FY2004-2005 Funding by Focus Area

(Including Matching Funds)

Coastal Habitats

18%

• Protect coastal or estuarine areas that have significant conservation, recreation, 

ecological, historical, or aesthetic values, or that are threatened by conversion from their 

natural or recreational state to other uses; 

21
• Give priority to lands that can be effectively managed and protected; and 

• Advance the goals, objectives or implementation of federal, regional, state or local 

coastal management plans. 

In the 2004-2005 biennium, $89.3 million was appropriated for 59 congressionally-directed 

projects in coastal and estuarine areas. For all grants awarded since the Program’s creation, 38 

acquisitions have closed as of September 30, 2005, resulting in the protection of 10,869 acres in 

fee and 151 acres under conservation easement. 

Projects funded through CELCP have been diverse in scale and scope, ranging from the 

acquisition of 3,600 acres of relatively pristine woodlands, fields, wetlands, and ponds outside of 

Charleston, South Carolina (part of a larger purchase of the 10,700-acre former Mead-Westvaco 

property known as Bonneau Ferry), to the acquisition of one acre in highly urban Stamford, 

Connecticut in support of that city’s efforts to create a greenway along the Mill River in 

downtown Stamford. Some projects have received funding in more than one year. In 2004, St. 

Tammany Parish, Louisiana was able to complete its acquisition of the 106-acre former Boy 

Scout facility known as Camp Salmen through a third and final CELCP grant that fulfilled the 

lease-purchase agreement with the Trust for Public Land. 

NOAA continues to lay the groundwork for implementing CELCP as a national competitive 

process. In 2003, NOAA published guidance for the Program as required in the Appropriations 

Act of 2002. The guidelines describe the criteria for grant awards and establish the process for 

competitive funding when funds become available for that purpose. 

CELCP guidelines require states to develop a coastal and estuarine land conservation plan to 

compete for funding under the Program. These plans are intended to assess the ecological, 

conservation, recreational, historical, or aesthetic values to be protected through the Program, as 

well as the threats to those values. The plans also identify each state’s priorities for coastal land 

conservation. The plans can draw on existing conservation plans or ecological assessments, if 

applicable. 

Nearly all coastal states are in the process of developing CELCP plans. At the end of fiscal year 

2005, 10 states had completed draft plans for review by NOAA, or submitted final plans to 

NOAA for approval. 

States have identified the following types of areas as priorities within CELCP plans, among 

others: 

• Beach and dune systems, including primary and secondary dunes and barrier island 

complexes, which serve as protective land features that reduce the impact of coastal 

flooding and erosion from storms. 

• Shoreline habitats along bays, sounds, and other estuaries, including wetlands and 

uplands, which serve as nursery habitat for fish and shellfish. 

• Coastal forests and other large, contiguous tracts of ecologically significant lands, which 

serve as habitat for a variety of species and provide several ecosystem functions, such as 

groundwater recharge, flood control, and pollutant filtration within coastal watersheds. 

22
States Working on Coastal Habitat Goals 

During the last two years, many state programs have made significant progress in meeting the 

coastal habitat goals of the Coastal Zone Management Act. 

Louisiana’s No Net Loss Wetlands Policy 

In Louisiana, one of the Gulf states hardest hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the 

State’s Coastal Management Division implements its no net loss of wetlands policy through its 

permitting and mitigation activities. The Coastal Management Division processes approximately 

2,000 permit applications annually. In 2003, the Division initiated an extensive review and 

revision of the wetland mitigation rules to address several problem areas, including mitigation 

banks, mitigation credit purchases, landowner approvals, and local coastal program mitigation 

participation. The mitigation rule revisions will result in more effective mitigation of wetland 

habitat at the state and local level. 

During the 2004-2005 biennium, the logging of coastal wetland forests also became a major state 

concern, which the Coastal Management Division addresses by serving on the governor’s 

Coastal Wetland Forest Conservation and Use Advisory Panel, and by adopting a policy to 

address its jurisdiction over coastal wetland forests. The Division also contributes to habitat 

restoration efforts by encouraging beneficial use of dredged material in its consistency reviews 

and coastal use permit activities, and through participation in a regional restoration plan 

program.

Restoring Alabama’s Dunes 

Hurricane Ivan hit the Gulf coast of Alabama in September 2004, causing massive destruction 

within the communities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. In addition to damaging homes and 

businesses, Hurricane Ivan flattened the dune fields at Gulf State Park, an area that provided 

habitat for the Perdido Key beach mouse, wintering piping plovers, nesting sea turtles, and many 

other sensitive beach and dune species. The Hurricane carried the dune sand offshore and into 

the adjacent Perdido Pass, which needed to be dredged soon after the storm to maintain safe 

navigation through the channel. 

Staff from the Alabama Coastal Area Management Program worked closely with the Army 

Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the City of Orange Beach, and Gulf State 

Park officials to quickly develop a plan so that sand dredged from the Perdido Pass channel 

would be used to rebuild the dune habitat at Gulf State Park. The Corps began dredging 

operations in February 2005, and by March 4 most of the habitat restoration project was 

completed. This close coordination between governmental agencies saved taxpayer money and 

expedited both the emergency dredging project at Perdido Pass and the dune restoration at Gulf 

State Park. 

23
Florida’s Adopt-a-Reef 

Florida’s Adopt-a-Reef project is performed in partnership with the Florida Coastal Management 

Program, The Ocean Conservancy, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and Monroe 

County Sea Grant Extension. The ongoing program focuses on the removal of marine debris 

from underwater environments in the Florida Keys and on the education of residents and visitors 

about protecting coastal and underwater habitats. With support from the Florida Coastal 

Management Program, the project was expanded during the 2004-2005 biennium and enhanced 

to include more volunteer divers, develop and distribute new educational brochures, increase 

media coverage, and expand and improve the Adopt-a-Reef website. 

San Francisco Bay Salt Ponds 

San Francisco Bay once supported 190,000 acres of tidal salt marsh, but today only 16,000 acres 

remain. In 2003, the State of California acquired 16,500 acres of salt ponds in the San Francisco 

Bay to restore the historic marshes. 

During the past two years, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, one of 

California’s approved coastal management programs, is collaborating with state agencies, 

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, the California Coastal Conservancy, the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers, regional water quality boards, local governments, neighbors, and many 

others to develop goals and an adaptive process for restoring the salt ponds. The planning 

process has brought together managers, scientists, and the public. The restoration plan will need 

to balance many diverse social objectives, including the needs of freshwater and saltwater 

species and demand for public recreation with wildlife protection. This is the largest marsh 

restoration attempted on the West Coast and there are a number of uncertainties. One of the 

biggest concerns is the possible release of mercury from sediments as the salt ponds are 

converted to tidal marsh. The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project Group is working to 

make the plan and process flexible and adaptable so these challenges can be met. The restoration 

will occur incrementally and be monitored so that needed changes can be made. On-the-ground 

work began in July 2004. 

Besides participating in the work group, the Development Commission has also updated its Bay 

Plan policies which guide development, recreation, and restoration activities in the Bay Area 

coastal zone. The San Francisco Bay Reserve is also involved in marsh restoration research in 

the Bay and is contributing to the science needed to implement successful marsh restoration. 

Oyster Habitat Restoration in South Carolina 

In South Carolina, citizens and businesses participate in oyster habitat restoration by recycling 

oyster shells at 12 coastal drop-off locations. Since its inception, the South Carolina Oyster 

Restoration and Enhancement program has built 98 new oyster reefs at 28 sites along the coast.20 

Volunteers have donated over 10,000 work hours for this effort. The Oyster Restoration and 

Enhancement program is managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and 

funded by several NOAA programs.

24
The Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management’s Coral Activities 

OCRM leads the coordination of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program and 

administers and manages grants awarded through the Coral Reef Management Grant Program. 

OCRM is a key partner in local initiatives of the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program in 

American Samoa, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 

Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the 2004-2005 grant periods, OCRM awarded 

approximately $4.86 million in coral conservation grants to the seven states and territories with 

tropical coral reef resources. The states and territories have used this funding locally for coral 

reef management, including the establishment of new marine protected areas, outreach and 

education materials, personnel, reducing nonpoint pollution impacts to coral reefs, and reducing 

anchor damage through the installation of mooring buoys. 

Through the Coral Reef Program, OCRM also works directly with the states and territories to 

identify, develop, and provide priority technical assistance. This includes support for the U.S. 

Coral Reef Task Force initiative to develop local action strategies which address major threats to 

coral reef ecosystems, such as land-based pollution, overfishing, and recreational overuse. 

OCRM assisted the jurisdictions in involving relevant federal partners on the Coral Reef Task 

Force, bringing stakeholders together to develop local action strategies to address these threats. 

Currently, OCRM is supporting the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program coordination with 

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force federal partners to address capacity and implementation needs 

within local agencies. Implementation of local action strategies is an element of the President’s 

Ocean Action Plan. 

Other OCRM coral management technical assistance activities from the 2004-2005 biennium 

that support state and territory priority needs include: 

• Joint coordination of a 2-year coral reef management assistantship program in partnership 

with NOAA’s Coastal Services Center and Office of Response and Restoration; 

• Workshops on marine protected area management plan development, community-based 

management of marine protected areas, managing recreational uses of coral reefs, and 

managing land-based sources of pollution; 

• Continued support for economic valuation studies of coral reef resources in American 

Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; 

• Inventory, summary, and analysis of state and territory coral reef marine protected areas 

in conjunction with the national marine managed areas inventory; 

• Development of a community of marine protected area leaders in the Pacific Islands 

region; and 

• Technical capacity support for the development of an marine protected area network in 

the Northern Mariana Islands and an marine protected area strategy in American Samoa. 

25
Coastal Hazards 

Coastal storms caused billions of dollars in 

losses during the 2004-2005 biennium. 

Combined damage estimates from Hurricanes 

Katrina (the Nation’s costliest hurricane on 

record) and Rita alone now exceed $200 

billion21. The Coastal Zone Management Act 

calls for the management of coastal 

development to minimize the loss of life and 

property. Improper development in floodprone areas, storm surge, geological hazards, 

erosion-prone areas, and areas likely to be 

affected by, or vulnerable to sea level rise, 

land subsidence, and saltwater intrusion, are 

considered in this focus area, as is the 

destruction of natural protective features such 

as beaches, dunes, wetlands, and barrier 

islands.

The Coastal Storms Program 

The Coastal Storms Program is a nationwide effort to reduce the adverse impacts of storms on 

life, property, the economy, and environmental health in coastal areas. The Program is a crossNOAA program that brings local, state, and federal organizations together with NOAA expertise 

to work on regional projects which develop products that fill local gaps in storm impact 

mitigation. The projects are selected by local coastal decision-makers in the pilot regions. Over 

the life of the pilot project, usually several years, products are developed by NOAA personnel in 

partnership with other federal agencies, academics, local and state governments, and regional 

associations. The resulting products are made available to those who need them, and training is 

held to ensure that new products and data are effectively utilized. 

To date three pilot regions have either been completed, or are in progress. The first pilot began 

in fiscal year 2002 in the St. Johns Water Management District in northeast Florida and was 

completed in fiscal year 2004. Nine products were developed helping local decision-makers 

mitigate the effects of storms. The products cover navigation safety, observing and predicting 

storms, and preparing for the impacts of storms, such as reducing the effects of storm water 

runoff and coastal inundation. Several of the products have been expanded beyond the pilot’s 

initial geographic scope and coastal decision-makers have been trained in product application. 

The second pilot is in progress in the Pacific Northwest (including portions of the Lower 

Columbia River, the northwest Oregon coast and the southwest Washington coast). The pilot 

began in late fiscal year 2003 and includes six projects. A Sea Grant Extension agent serves as 

the outreach and extension coordinator for the pilot area. As in Florida, the projects cover 

FY2004-2005 Funding by Focus Area

(Including Matching Funds)

Coastal Hazards

4%

26
navigation safety, observing and predicting storms, and preparing for the impacts of a storm. 

An Oregon Coastal Inundation Tool has been created and recently expanded to include a new 

17-mile stretch of Oregon coastline. The tool allows users to identify areas along the shoreline 

and examine the level of erosion or flooding that is expected based on real-time oceanographic 

data. In addition, users can view information from past storms such as total water level, peak 

waves, and tide heights. 

The third and most recent pilot is taking place in southern California. In early fiscal year 2005, 

kickoff meetings were held with local coastal decision-makers to determine their needs in 

mitigating coastal storms. Their input guides product development. Several projects have 

already begun, slated for 2006. 

Hawaii Prepares Educational Information on Tsunamis 

The Hawaii Coastal Management Program works in partnership with multi-disciplinary groups 

and agencies to reduce the risks of natural hazards affecting the coast, such as hurricanes, 

earthquakes, and tsunamis. These collaborations facilitate immediate review of state-of-the-art 

research and make possible practical implementation of the research. 

After approval by the scientific, engineering, and emergency management communities, 

Earthquake Hazards and Estimated Losses in the County of Hawaii was published in 2005. 

It provides detailed information about the seismicity of the Island of Hawaii and incorporates 

Hawaii-customized ground motion, building inventories, and soil data in loss estimates for a 

number of earthquake scenarios. Hawaii County officials, including the mayor and members 

of his cabinet and county council, were given a briefing on these scenarios in February 2005. 

Working hand-in-hand with Hawaii’s tsunami community, Tsunami: The Great Waves was 

revised in 2005 to incorporate data from the December 26, 2004 tsunami and to broaden its 

scope. One hundred thousand copies of this revised booklet were published and are being 

distributed worldwide, increasing awareness and knowledge of what to do in the event of a 

tsunami in communities around the globe. 

Coastal Water Quality 

Coastal states and territories have 

continued to improve their programs to 

protect and restore coastal waters from the 

harmful effects of polluted runoff. Many 

state and territory efforts related to coastal 

nonpoint source pollution are the result of 

continued work to meet the requirements of 

Section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act 

Reauthorization Amendments of 1990. 

Section 6217 requires states to develop and 

implement “coastal nonpoint pollution 

control programs.” Under the Coastal 

27

FY2004-2005 Funding by Focus Area

(Including Matching Funds)

Coastal Water Quality

19%
Nonpoint Program, states use a consistent set of management measures, or “best management 

practices,” to solve runoff pollution problems. State and territorial programs incorporate these 

management measures into a comprehensive plan to address land-based sources of runoff from 

agriculture, forest harvesting, urban construction and development, marina activities, and 

modifications of natural drainage patterns. States and territories provide accountability for their 

efforts through a number of tools, including regulations, voluntary approaches backed by 

enforceable policies, and outreach and education. State and territory coastal nonpoint programs 

are focused on pollution prevention—limiting and controlling runoff pollution before problems 

occur. 

All states and territories participating in Coastal Zone Management Act have successfully 

developed frameworks for solving their unique coastal runoff pollution problems, as required by 

Section 6217. Indiana, a recent entrant to the National Coastal Management Program, submitted 

its first program document in March 2005. NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) continue to work with the State to further develop its program. 

Following initial review of nonpoint programs, NOAA and EPA issued conditional approval of 

all plans and identified areas where work remained to meet program requirements. Sixteen states 

and territories have now achieved full approval. Full approval means a state or territory has 

developed a program and is equipped to implement the full range of available solutions to coastal 

nonpoint pollution problems. 

Over the past 2 years, NOAA and EPA have worked diligently with those conditionally 

approved states to meet their remaining conditions and approach full program approval. Five 

states (Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and South Carolina) currently have only one 

or two conditions remaining. Since the publication of the last biennial report, states have 

satisfied over 40 percent of their remaining program conditions. As of the end of fiscal year 

2005, states have met 84 percent of the initial conditions placed on their programs.

Coastal Nonpoint Program Conditions Remaining

1464

896

569

234

0

500

1000

1500

2000

Total

Coniditions 

2000-2001 2002-2003 2004-2005

Year

No. of Conditions

28
Louisiana Adds to Nonpoint Programs 

Beginning in 2003, the Louisiana Coastal Management Division initiated the integration of the 

Coastal Nonpoint Program into the State’s Coastal Use Permit process, by requiring that 

nonpoint program conditions be attached to permits where appropriate. These nonpoint program 

changes have been implemented by both the Division and local coastal programs, and the 

Division is working to formalize guidance for permit staff. During the 2004-2005 biennium, 

Louisiana also developed a Clean Marina Program, published the Louisiana Clean Marina 

Guidebook, and certified two marinas. Other activities include a project that trained students to 

teach their peers about water quality, and a Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials 

“NEMO” pilot program in Cameron Parish. 

South Carolina Helps Local Governments Address Onsite Disposal Systems 

The South Carolina Coastal Nonpoint Program initiated a capacity building grant program for 

local governments to provide municipalities with the incentive and financial assistance to 

proactively address nonpoint source pollution issues and educate the public on needed policy 

changes. In the pilot year of this grant, the South Carolina program funded projects that focused 

on the development of on-site sewage disposal system model ordinances, maintenance and 

inspection programs, and public education initiatives. 

New Hampshire Builds Local Capacity to Reduce Polluted Runoff 

New Hampshire’s Coastal Nonpoint Program has been working with two regional planning 

commissions to develop and support a technical assistance program to address nonpoint source 

pollution at the local level through municipal land use planning, regulatory review and 

development, and education. The programs are specifically tailored to address nonpoint source 

issues unique to each region. Regional planning staff work one-on-one with town conservation 

commission and planning boards to review existing land use regulations relative to nonpoint 

source pollution, discuss sources of nonpoint pollution at the local level, and provide 

recommended changes to local land use regulations. To date, eight recommended regulations 

covering erosion and sediment control, road design standards, wetland and shoreland buffers, 

aquifer protection, impervious surfaces, and stormwater management have been accepted and 

approved by voters at town meetings. 

Maryland Launches Web Site to Track Best Management Practices 

Maryland developed a program to track restoration and nonpoint source pollution 

implementation efforts in each of the State's tributaries. The State uses the tracking system to 

assess its progress in implementing nonpoint point source control measures throughout the State, 

including those that are part of Maryland's Coastal Nonpoint Program. The types of best 

management practices tracked include: (1) urban (e.g., the number of acres treated by storm 

water detention ponds; the number of denitrifying septic systems in place); (2) agricultural (e.g., 

the number of acres with soil conservation water quality or nutrient management plans in place); 

29
and (3) resource protection and improvements (e.g., the feet of shoreline erosion control projects 

undertaken; the feet of stream restoration carried out). 

Massachusetts Promotes Low Impact Development and Open Space 

The Massachusetts Coastal Nonpoint Program recently supported several projects to curb 

polluted runoff from urban areas, including the implementation of a newly updated Open Space 

Residential Design bylaw/ordinance in three cities and towns in the Merrimack Valley region. 

The new model ordinance promotes low impact development land planning and site-design 

practices that simultaneously conserve and protect land and water resources, while reducing 

infrastructure costs. All three towns adopted the new ordinance model in the spring of 2005 as a 

result of the project. 

New Jersey Passes New Storm Water Regulations 

In January 2004, New Jersey adopted new storm water rules that are among the most 

comprehensive storm water regulations in the country. The rules prohibit most new construction 

within 300 feet of high quality rivers, streams, and reservoirs and their immediate tributaries. 

New buffer requirements are an important tool for protecting critical drinking water supplies and 

sensitive ecological areas. Built-in flexibility in the rules for new developments exists for 

approved storm water management plans or minor disturbances occurring in existing developed 

areas. Also included are required best management practices that reduce runoff of total 

suspended solids by 80 percent, and promote smart growth principles consistent with the coastal 

nonpoint program guidance. 

Federal Investments Leverage Coastal States’ Dividends 

Over the past two years, Congress has authorized $13 million for implementation of state coastal 

nonpoint pollution control programs. These resources have enabled coastal management 

programs to apply their unique capabilities to control coastal nonpoint pollution by supporting 

important administrative and project-oriented needs. 

NOAA has encouraged states to target implementation funds toward three priority areas: septic 

systems, clean marinas, and capacity building. These areas have a coastal focus and are often 

not addressed directly through other federally funded nonpoint source programs. By targeting a 

portion of coastal nonpoint funds to these priority areas, OCRM and its state and territory 

partners are filling gaps left by other programs. Examples of how coastal states and territories 

are investing in these priority areas include: 

Clean/Green Marina Programs 

These programs improve marina and recreational boating facilities management through 

practices such as environmentally sound vessel maintenance, spill prevention, and proper sewage 

disposal. Clean Marina Programs are one of the most visible ways to educate citizens about 

nonpoint source pollution and their individual impacts on coastal ecosystems. During the past 

30
2 years, six additional states developed Clean Marina Programs, bringing the total of coastal and 

Great Lakes states with programs to 19. 

Florida designated its first Clean Marina under the Florida Clean Marina Program in 2000. In 

June 2004, Florida designated its 100th Clean Marina. The Clean Marina Program encompasses 

a multi-component approach consisting of marketing, workshops, technical assistance, 

publications, distance learning, grant awards, and designation. The Clean Marina Program is an 

important component in improving the health of Florida's waterways. During fiscal year 2005, 

another 100 marinas and boatyards were designated part of the Florida Clean Marina Program. 

New Partnerships and Program Updates 

To combine strengths that address the nexus between land use and coastal water quality, NOAA 

and the EPA are working together to address the impacts of growth and development on coastal 

communities, economies, and natural resources. This partnership creates efficiencies by 

leveraging the assets of each agency, providing a consistent message and new approaches from 

the Federal Government, and ensuring that both agencies are coordinating to address one of the 

most critical issues in achieving their missions. 

Populations in coastal watersheds are growing rapidly, with 53 percent of the U.S. population 

already living within 50 miles of a coast. The environmental impacts of development directly 

affect the ability of communities to balance natural resource protection with economic growth. 

The pressures of coastal growth also profoundly affect the ability of NOAA and EPA to achieve 

national goals for sustainable management of coastal resources and protection of human health 

and the environment. This challenge was highlighted in the 2004 U.S. Commission on Ocean 

Policy report, “The pressures of continuing growth are acutely felt in coastal areas. While 

largely attributable to activities taking place along the coast, some pressures originate hundreds 

of miles away in inland watersheds.” 

States and local governments have direct authority over land use and development decisions, and 

play a key role in preventing nonpoint source pollution. Many communities are already moving 

towards addressing the challenges created by the impacts of current development patterns and 

practices. Communities are protecting critical watershed areas, adopting environmentally 

friendly development practices, strategically designating areas for future growth, and reducing 

pressure on undeveloped land by revitalizing brownfields and existing communities. The Ocean 

Commission Report recognizes the importance of these efforts, recommending that, “The U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, NOAA, and other appropriate entities should increase 

assistance and outreach to provide decision-makers with the knowledge and tools needed to 

make sound land use decisions that protect coastal water quality.” 

 NOAA and EPA have responded to this recommendation by creating a formal partnership to 

support state and local development innovations. Testing and adopting new growth strategies is 

challenging, particularly for communities that are busy responding to daily incoming 

development proposals. The EPA/NOAA Partnership will address their need for resources, 

research, information, training, best practices, and technical assistance by providing: 

31
• Training for local government staff and officials; 

• Citizen workshops in cooperation with local governments; 

• Program and policy advice; and 

• Access to subject matter experts and other technical assistance to work on locally 

identified issues. 

Challenges for the Future 

The problem of nonpoint source pollution is bigger than any single agency or program can solve. 

It requires the full spectrum of federal, state, territorial, and local agency programs, and a 

commitment from citizens. Coordinating this myriad of activities and people remains difficult. 

Several states and territories face significant hurdles in completing the development of coastal 

nonpoint programs. The largest challenges, in addition to requiring additional financial and 

technical assistance from multiple sources, often need political support and institutional changes 

at state and local governments and agencies. The significant reduction of federal coastal 

nonpoint program funding in fiscal year 2005 ($3 million; down from $9.8 million in fiscal year 

2004) is challenging states to support staff to coordinate the program and continue with program 

implementation and development. In addition to funding challenges, linking program outputs to 

changes in coastal water quality changes will remain difficult and contentious. 

Public Access 

Ensuring public access to our Nation’s coastal 

areas is a prime example of the balance 

required under the Coastal Zone Management 

Act, which weighs the interests of private 

property owners, wildlife and their habitat, 

against the requirements of the Act to give the 

public access to the coast for recreation. 

Population growth within the coastal zone has 

increased dramatically. In 2003, approximately 

153 million people (53 percent of the Nation’s 

population) lived in 673 U.S. Coastal Counties, 

an increase of 33 million people since 1980.22 

The new popularity of different forms of coastal 

recreation has increased the demand for places 

to swim, fish, and boat. 

San Francisco Bay Plan Recreation Update 

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission Plan’s recreational element 

was adopted in 1968 and has not had a major update since. Since the Plan was first adopted, the 

demographics of the area have changed, new forms of water-oriented recreation, such as sail 

FY2004-2005 Funding by Focus Area

(Including Matching Funds)

Public Access

8%

32
boarding, have become popular, and the Bay Trail around San Francisco Bay was initiated and is 

now almost completed. The Development Commission staff is working with local, regional, 

state, and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations to develop a report and 

recommend Bay Plan changes that address the recreational needs of those living in the Bay Area, 

and the many visitors who come to San Francisco. The revised recreational element will be 

presented to the Commission for approval, and if approved, will guide the development and 

improvement of recreational opportunities along the Bay. 

Beach Safety—Warning Signs and Flags

The Florida Coastal Management Program developed and produced beach warning flags and 

interpretive signs to notify beach residents and visitors of water, tide, and surf conditions. To 

minimize the risks of drowning or serious injury, the Florida Department of Environmental 

Protection has worked with the Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association, the U.S. Lifesaving 

Association, and the International Lifesaving Federation to develop a uniform warning flag 

program for use by Florida’s beachfront communities. Local governments can request warning 

flags and signs to be placed at public beach access locations at no cost. So far, the Florida 

Coastal Management Program has been able to provide flags and signs to over 40 percent 

of eligible coastal communities. 

Puerto Rico Program Installs Dune Protection 

The Puerto Rico Coastal Management Program completed three significant coastal access 

projects in the Pinones Natural Reserve. Three wooden dune crossovers were constructed, 

public access signage was installed, and the dunes were restored and replanted at Aviones 

Surfers Beach. Previously the sand dunes and vegetation had become eroded from the public's 

use to access the beach. The new dune crossovers provide clear access points to the beach and 

prevent further dune erosion. An inauguration ceremony for the crossovers was held in June 

2005 and was attended by local mayors, school children, and the Secretary of the Puerto Rico 

Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. 

Coastal Community Development 

Coastal counties are the most densely 

populated areas in the United States. The 

population of coastal counties is expected to 

increase by more than 7 million by 2008, and 

12 million by 201523. Land development 

follows such population growth. According 

to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

Natural Resources Inventory, developed land 

in the contiguous United States increased 34 

percent between 1982 and 1997. During the 

same 15-year period, the U.S. population 

33

FY2004-2005 Funding by Focus Area

(Including Matching Funds)

Community 

Development

14%
grew by about 15 percent. Land consumption has thus been occurring at more than twice the rate 

of population growth. 

As more people live on some of our Nation’s most environmentally sensitive and ecologically 

productive land, planning to sustain economic growth over the coming decades is essential. 

State coastal management programs promote activities in coastal communities to accommodate 

growth and development while ensuring viable coastal resources for future generations. Without 

long-term plans, growth and development can harm the resources needed to sustain a healthy 

economy and environment. For example, malfunctioning septic systems servicing shoreline 

development can contaminate bays and cause fisheries and beaches to close. Concrete and other 

impervious paving reduces the ability of water to filter the soil and replenish underground water 

sources. Also, coastal storms, erosion, and mudslides can destroy development located too close 

to the shoreline. 

NOAA and its coastal management partners provide local decision-makers with information on 

development impacts on coastal resources and alternatives to traditional suburban development. 

This information helps foster local solutions to managing coastal development. In addition, state 

and territory coastal management programs have partnered with the reserves to implement 

coastal decision-maker workshops to educate and incorporate resource protection into the local 

development process. 

State coastal management programs promote sustainable growth in coastal communities by: 

1) Working with local governments to develop land use plans, ordinances, and permitting 

programs to guide the location and impacts of new development; 

2) Developing special area management plans to increase protection of significant natural 

resources while accommodating reasonable economic growth; 

3) Providing training and technical assistance to build local capacity to manage growth; and 

4) Promoting voluntary stewardship through training programs and funding for restoration and 

land conservation. 

Louisiana’s Local Coastal Programs 

Louisiana’s coastal parishes are encouraged to develop and implement local coastal programs. 

During the 2004-2005 biennium, two new local programs were approved for Plaquemines and 

Terrebonne parishes. Through permitting, parishes with local coastal programs have the 

authority to regulate uses of local concern, such as subdivision development. In addition to 

financial support from the state, parishes have received technical assistance on contract and 

budget issues and on Wetland Value Assessment methodology. OCRM has also provided the 

parishes with various educational materials and opportunities relating to coastal restoration, 

wetlands identification, and stormwater runoff. 

California’s Regional Assessment Project 

The California Coastal Commission, one of California’s approved coastal management 

programs, is working on a regional cumulative assessment project in the Marina Del Rey 

34
area of Los Angeles County. Marina Del Rey is a heavily populated area surrounding a large 

artificial bay that provides boating access and recreational opportunities. The first step of the 

project was to collect and analyze historical and new information to better address public 

access, water quality, recreational boating, natural hazard risks from earthquakes, tsunamis and 

liquefaction, nonpoint pollution, and other important local issues. Staff will work on developing 

recommendations for the County’s approved local coastal program to better manage its coastal 

resources and improve the coastal community of Marina Del Rey. Similar comprehensive 

planning projects have been completed in targeted areas along the coast, including San Luis 

Obispo and Monterey. 

Mapping South Carolina’s Marsh Islands 

Development pressures have increased and now affect even the smallest of marsh islands. 

NOAA’s Coastal Services Center worked with South Carolina’s Coastal Management Program 

to map the State’s marsh islands and develop a geographic information system to help officials 

make decisions about the feasibility and potential impact of this type of development. This 

information is being used as South Carolina studies its existing policies and considers enacting 

new regulations. 

Maui County Shoreline Setback Study 

In 2003, to better address shoreline erosion issues within Maui County, the Maui Planning 

Commission passed a new shoreline setback standard based on historic erosion rates. The new 

ordinance requires development to be set back 50 times the annual erosion rate plus 20 feet, or 

adhere to the old arbitrary setback, whichever is greater. Only minor and/or removable 

structures are permitted seaward of the setback line. 

To help in determining the correct erosion rate-based setback, the Maui Planning Department 

uses the Maui Shoreline Atlas developed by the University of Hawaii Coastal Geology Group. 

The Atlas divides the shoreline into 20 meter transects and lists the annual erosion hazard rate for 

each transect. To ease shorefront property owners’ concerns that they would not be permitted to 

rebuild existing structures that were seaward of the setback line if the structure was damaged or 

destroyed, the new ordinance allows existing structures to be rebuilt if damaged by fire or noncoastal hazards. Rocky shores, or areas of the shoreline that are already artificially hardened, are 

also exempt from the erosion-based setback, but have to adhere to the state minimum setback 

requirements. 

 Protecting Water Dependent Uses and Revitalizing Urban Waterfronts 

Waterfront revitalization, port development, and protection of water dependent uses are 

complementary goals under the Coastal Zone Management Act which promote economic 

development, while balancing competing uses of the coast. Waterfronts traditionally were the 

center of commercial, industrial, and recreational activities in coastal communities, but economic 

and technological changes have left many waterfronts underutilized and in disrepair. Because of 

their industrial history, many urban waterfronts and port properties are brownfields—real estate 

where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived contamination. The 

35
OCRM and state and territory coastal management programs have worked with communities to 

develop and implement master plans to revitalize waterfronts, clean up brownfields, provide 

public access, and restore coastal resources. Many coastal management programs have worked 

with communities to develop harbor management plans to balance competing uses and preserve 

water dependent uses such as maritime trade. As U.S. ports modernize marine transportation 

systems, balancing port expansion while maintaining community character and protecting 

resources is a challenge for coastal managers. 

Portfields Initiative – Background 

In 2003, NOAA launched the “Portfields” Initiative, a federal interagency effort focused 

on the redevelopment of brownfields in port and harbor communities, with an emphasis on 

development of environmentally sound port facilities, environmental restoration, and community 

revitalization. Reuse of abandoned or underutilized properties in port communities can provide 

jobs and spur economic development by enhancing port infrastructure and improving the flow 

of commerce. In addition, port redevelopment can be undertaken in a manner that protects 

human health, protects and restores critical habitat, ensures homeland security, and provides a 

better quality of life for community residents. Portfields is led by NOAA, along with the 

Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Economic 

Development Administration, and the U.S. Maritime Administration. 

In 2003, three Portfields pilot communities were selected: New Bedford, Massachusetts; 

Bellingham, Washington; and Tampa, Florida. The goal of the pilots is to produce on-theground results by enhancing coordination among federal, state, and local partners, and improving 

the delivery of financial and technical resources. By building local capacity and leveraging 

programs, these pilots are producing new models which are transferable to other coastal 

communities. All three of the pilot projects were implemented in 2004-2005. The following is a 

snapshot of the activities implemented at each site.

New Bedford Dredging 

New Bedford/Fairhaven Harbor includes one of the most complex Superfund sites in the country. 

Because of high levels of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination in the harbor, navigational 

dredging has not occurred in 30 years. Channels are shoaled to levels above authorized depths, 

limiting the size of ships and volume of cargo that can enter the harbor, which in turn negatively 

impacts the local economy. New Bedford is applying a simplified procedure known as the “state 

enhanced remedy” under the Superfund cleanup program to streamline the dredging process. 

This mechanism streamlines permitting for navigational dredging by linking dredging to the 

clean up of the Superfund site, saving both time and money. A team consisting of New Bedford 

and the Town of Fairhaven, NOAA, EPA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and 

Massachusetts’ Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Marine Fisheries, and 

Coastal Zone Management Program initiated the port’s dredging under the state enhanced 

remedy. Portfields has also helped leverage $5 million from the Commonwealth of 

Massachusetts and $200,000 from the private sector for navigational dredging. 

36
Bellingham Waterfront Revitalization 

The Portfields federal partners are helping the Port of Bellingham build on its existing planning 

efforts to address significant environmental contamination and revitalize idle and abandoned 

waterfront properties. The Port of Bellingham recently completed a new vision and multi-year 

action plan for revitalizing the city’s waterfront. The plan will help the community respond to 

significant losses in heavy industry and increasing demand for commercial and recreational 

opportunities. A large component of the revitalization effort centers around 137 acres of 

waterfront property recently acquired by the Port from Georgia Pacific. Over the next several 

years the port will be undertaking the cleanup of contaminated upland and sediment sites and 

will be implementing a comprehensive program of maritime improvements. The Port’s plans to 

redevelop the waterfront include a new marina, a regional sustainable development center, 

improved public access (trails, parks), and mixed-use buildings, as well as the restoration and 

protection of natural habitat. The Portfields partners are working closely with the Port of 

Bellingham to streamline permitting, plan restoration, provide visibility, and leverage resources. 

Tampa Stormwater Management 

Tampa is serving as a national model for innovative stormwater management by designing and 

building a network of drainage ditches, retention ponds, and filtration wetlands that will 

improve water quality and enhance habitat within Tampa Bay. NOAA provided $45,000 to the 

Tampa Port Authority for planning and design of stormwater improvements on its property. 

This project has involved the development of a geographic information system to collect and 

convert property boundary and topography data layers to determine where stormwater runoff 

travels from each individual parcel. This work will help the Port Authority identify properties 

best suited for installation of best management practices for stormwater management 

improvements. The geographic information system component will be followed by site specific 

engineering designs for best management practices. A number of partners are involved with this 

project, including the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Tampa Bay Estuary 

Program, and Photo Science Geospatial Solutions. This partnership is already providing 

opportunities to leverage funds for on-the-ground best management practice installations. 

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National Estuarine Research Reserve System 

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a network of 26 protected areas representing 

different biogeographic regions of the United States, set aside for long-term research, water 

quality monitoring, education, and coastal stewardship. NOAA provides funding, national 

guidance, and technical assistance. A lead state agency or university manages each reserve with 

input from local partners. The partnership between NOAA and coastal states protects more than 

one million acres of estuarine land and water, providing essential habitat for wildlife; offering 

educational opportunities for students, teachers, and the public; and serving as a platform for 

research. 

Reserve staff work with local communities and regional groups to address natural resource 

management issues, such as nonpoint source pollution, habitat restoration, and invasive species. 

Through integrated research and education, reserves help communities develop strategies to deal 

successfully with coastal resource issues. Reserves provide training to professional audiences on 

estuarine issues, offer field classes for K-12 students, and support teachers through professional 

development programs in marine education. Reserves also provide long-term water quality 

monitoring, as well as opportunities for scientists and graduate students to conduct research in a 

living laboratory. 

Three programs are conducted at all reserves across the country. Each reserve participates in the 

System Wide Monitoring Program, the Graduate Research Fellowship Program, and the Coastal 

Training Program. 

• Short-term variability and long-term change in coastal conditions are monitored and data 

is provided to researchers, natural resource program managers, and other coastal 

decision-makers through the System Wide Monitoring Program. 

• The Graduate Research Fellowship Program provides master’s degree and doctoral 

candidates with an opportunity to explore scientific questions of local, regional, and 

national significance at a reserve. 

• The Coastal Training Program provides up-to-date scientific information and skillbuilding opportunities to individuals who are responsible for making decisions that affect 

coastal resources. 

In addition to participating in these system-wide activities, each reserve is engaged in locally 

relevant efforts to advance estuarine protection, science, education, and decision-making. 

National Investment 

While non-regulatory in nature, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System provides longterm protection of natural resources within the System’s 26 reserves and is a model for 

responsible management practices. Since reserve resources are often affected by external 

activities, reserve staff cooperates with local partners to protect and restore land and aquatic 

natural resources. The system-wide program provides leadership, coordination, technical 

support, and consistency for activities at national, regional, and local levels. Stewardship 

activities in the Reserve System include invasive species removal, prescribed fires, wildlife 

38
management, restoration of habitat, and land acquisition. To increase the diversity of habitats 

and biogeographic regions that the Reserve System can study, the Estuarine Reserves Division at 

NOAA also works with interested states to designate new reserves. 

During the 2004-2005 biennium, $6.8 million in discretionary procurement, acquisition, and 

construction funding was awarded to reserves for land acquisition and construction projects, 

ranging from renovation and expansion projects for education and interpretive facilities, 

dormitories for visiting scientists and teachers, research labs, enhancements for public access, 

and acquisition of key land parcels for research, education, and stewardship activity. 

Great Bay New Hampshire Land Acquisition Partnership 

Situated near New Hampshire’s seacoast, Great Bay is a unique inland tidal estuary, fed by five 

major rivers from a watershed of 450,000 acres. The Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership 

is a comprehensive approach to identify Great Bay’s most critical habitats and to protect them. 

With The Nature Conservancy as lead acquisition agent, the partners also include the Audubon 

Society of New Hampshire, Ducks Unlimited, Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 

Natural Resources Conservation Service, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Society 

for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and 

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Major funding for the partnership has come from NOAA and the North American Wetland 

Conservation Act. Funding has also come from matching funds, such as cash donations, and the 

value of donated and discounted land sales. Since 1997, the partnership has protected more than 

4,000 acres in the 24-town focus area, including shoreline frontage along Great Bay and 

important ecological areas in the watershed. 

In 2005, the partnership completed two land conservation transactions that had been longstanding priorities: 

• The Shackford Point in Newmarket is an 86-acre tract at the mouth of the Lamprey River 

and Great Bay. “Because of its location and habitat, this property was one of the first to 

be identified as a priority for protection when the partnership began in 1994,” said Bob 

Miller, recently retired Great Bay Project Director for The Nature Conservancy. “We’ve 

been actively working to protect this piece ever since.” The protected property includes 

fields and forest, important waterfowl nesting areas, and bald eagle roosting sites. 

• The Smith Farm tract, a 38-acre parcel on Great Bay in Greenland, includes important 

habitat for Canada geese, black ducks, mallard and other waterfowl. The tract abuts three 

other parcels protected by the partnership, all on Great Bay. Combined, the tracts create 

a 123-acre block of protected habitat on the Bay. The Smith parcel alone protects 1,121 

feet of shoreline on Great Bay, and a total of 4,540 feet with the other three parcels. “The 

work of the Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership has been critical in carrying out 

this responsibility,” said U.S. Senator Judd Gregg. “The addition of the Smith Farm to 

the network of protected parcels here is another major success for the partnership. I want 

39
to congratulate all the members of the partnership for their continued commitment to 

Great Bay, and I am pleased to have been able to support these efforts.” 

 Graduate Research Fellowship Program 

The Reserve System’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program funds graduate students on a 

competitive basis. The program provides master’s degree and doctoral candidates with an 

opportunity to conduct research relevant to key coastal management issues at a reserve. Each 

reserve can support up to two fellows in any funding year. Funds support research projects that 

will enhance scientific understanding of reserve ecosystems, provide information needed by 

reserve management and coastal management decision-makers, and improve public awareness 

and understanding of estuarine ecosystems. 

The Fellowship Program attracts students from all over the country, including states that do not 

have a reserve. Since its inception in 1997, the Fellowship Program has funded a total of 215 

fellows. The program is designed to provide funding awards for multiple years. In fiscal year 

2004, the Reserve System funded 20 fellows previously accepted in the program and 31 new 

fellows (51 out of 52 available positions were filled). In 2005, there were 24 returning and 25 

new fellows (48 out of 52 available positions were filled). 

Fellowship projects focus on habitat restoration/conservation, nutrient dynamics/nonpoint source 

pollution, sustaining estuarine resources, invasive species/biodiversity, and economic, 

sociological, and/or anthropological research applicable to estuarine ecosystem management. 

 System Wide Monitoring Program 

A key to protecting coastal waters and restoring estuarine habitats is obtaining and understanding 

information on how human activities and natural events change ecosystems. The Reserve 

System has begun a large-scale monitoring effort called the System Wide Monitoring Program to 

track short-term variability and long-term changes in coastal ecosystems. 

The initial phase of the Reserve System's System Wide Monitoring Program began in 1996. 

This phase focuses on monitoring a suite of water quality and atmospheric information. Since 

1996, the System Wide Monitoring Program has collected pH, conductivity, temperature, 

dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and water level data. In 2001, it began collecting monthly nutrient 

and chlorophyll-a samples. The Program uses automated instruments to collect water quality 

data. These data loggers record at 30-minute intervals at four stations in each reserve. The 

Reserve System’s Monitoring Program measures variables that indicate habitat quality for 

estuarine species, establish health criteria, and determine human uses. The information collected 

by this program has been used to measure the impacts of restoration projects and to analyze 

water quality conditions. Data collected are centrally located, managed, and published at the 

Centralized Data Management Office in South Carolina. 

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Biological monitoring 

The second phase of the System Wide Monitoring Program began in 2004. The central objective 

of phase two is to characterize biotic diversity in the reserves’ estuarine ecosystems by assessing 

community composition and species abundance and distributions. The System Wide Monitoring 

Program’s phase two builds on phase one monitoring capabilities by developing inquiry-based 

research projects that explore patterns of inter-annual variability and spatial distribution of 

estuarine communities, including emergent and submerged vegetation, invasive species, benthic 

communities, and nekton/plankton communities. 

A key component of this phase is the production of biological monitoring data for use by 

scientists and coastal managers in short-term research planning or management decisions, in 

addition to the long-term goal of tracking biological changes over time. The Reserves System is 

working to implement a national biomonitoring program focused on emergent and submerged 

aquatic vegetation communities. The program monitors the overall spatial distribution of either 

emergent vegetation or submerged aquatic vegetation communities within the boundaries of the 

reserves and the detailed vegetative characteristics of selected stands of these communities 

within a reserve’s boundaries. 

Sixteen reserves have participated in the biomonitoring effort, and it is anticipated that the 

remaining 10 sites will be funded to start biomonitoring work in 2006. Biomonitoring projects 

have focused on developing baseline vegetation distribution maps. These maps can contribute 

to future research on land use change; determining changes in health and distribution of 

communities with long-term changes in water quality and quantity; and quantifying changes in 

marshland cover types. Future biomonitoring efforts within the reserves will likely focus on 

invasive species, benthos, plankton, and nekton communities. 

Land Use and Habitat Change 

The third phase of the System Wide Monitoring Program focuses on tracking and evaluating 

changes over time in coastal and estuarine habitats as they relate to changes in watershed land use 

practices. In a first step toward system-wide, phase-three monitoring, reserve staff members are 

working to define a common classification system to assist the reserves in a consistent, nationally 

comparable habitat and watershed mapping and inventorying effort. Currently, five reserves are 

piloting the newly designed “NERRS Classification Scheme” to assess if it is suitable for a national 

effort to map habitat at each reserve. 

Observing Systems and Real Time Data for the National Estuarine Research Reserves 

The Integrated Ocean Observing System initiative is developing an integrated national 

observation system for the U.S. coastal zone. The Observing System will be built upon federal 

monitoring efforts and regional coastal and ocean observing systems that monitor the state and 

characteristics of the U.S. coasts, oceans, Great Lakes, and estuaries. The Observing System is 

envisioned as a coordinated network of observation platforms and data management, analysis, 

and modeling systems that acquire and disseminate data on past, present, and future states of the 

41
U.S. ocean and coastal areas. Users will include coastal resource managers, scientists, educators, 

mariners, and emergency responders. 

The reserves’ System Wide Monitoring Program has been identified as a national backbone 

component for this Integrated Ocean Observing System because of the Reserve System’s broad 

coverage of estuarine and coastal habitats. The data is a particularly valuable component of the 

Integrated Ocean Observing System network as it is one of the few contributing members that 

will deliver important estuarine data. The estuarine water and weather data generated by the 

reserves can be used to provide information to support a number of Observing System goals 

including: sustaining living marine and estuarine resources, protecting and restoring healthy 

coastal marine and estuarine ecosystems, improving modeling and predictions about the 

consequences of coastal climate change, and mitigating the effects of coastal storms and other 

natural hazards. The reserves are currently working to invest in the new technology and 

implementation costs necessary to coordinate its System Wide Monitoring Program with the 

larger Integrated Ocean Observing System initiative. 

Regional Synthesis of System Wide Monitoring Program Data 

In 2005, the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) 

funded four projects that will integrate system wide monitoring data, and relevant ancillary research 

and monitoring datasets, to address important coastal management issues at a regional scale. The 

bioregions in this effort include: the Pacific, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and New England. 

Specific topics that will be discussed in the regional synthesis projects are: 

1. Assessing the status of estuarine eutrophication and nutrient management measures; 

2. Investigating the effects of human activities on estuarine water quality conditions and living 

resources (e.g., submerged aquatic vegetation); 

3. Increasing the understanding of the impacts of short-term climatic events (i.e., tropical 

storms and hurricanes), and large-scale events (i.e., El Niño, North Atlantic Oscillation) on 

estuarine water quality parameters; and 

4. Assessing how watershed inputs and oceanic forcing drive changes in estuarine nutrient 

concentrations. 

This will be the third synthesis of reserves’ system wide monitoring data. Synthesis reports provide 

baseline information for future assessments and valuable information about how estuaries function 

in different tidal regimes, climate conditions, and geographic locations across the Reserve System. 

These efforts also assist coastal managers in developing appropriate strategies to better manage 

coastal issues or threats, such as nonpoint pollution, and will help develop predictive capabilities for 

estuarine and coastal environments. 

Using SWMP Data to Inform the Delaware Water Standards 

There are 2,500 miles of rivers in Delaware. Nearly all Delaware state waters are listed as 

“impaired” under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. Approximately 99 percent of these 

waters do not fully support water quality standards for swimming, and 64 percent of these waters 

do not fully support water quality standards for fish and wildlife activities. The State of 

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Delaware is required by the Clean Water Act to develop total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for 

each impaired water body, which set limits for the amount of any given pollutant that can be 

discharged into the water body without exceeding water quality standards. 

TMDLs are determined by computer models, which are calibrated and verified with existing 

water quality data. Sources of water quality data in Delaware and many other states are limited 

and patchy in terms of geographic and temporal coverage, and there is no standard set of 

parameters that are monitored in all data gathering efforts. The Delaware Reserve system wide 

monitoring program has helped state water quality managers by providing large quantities of 

high quality data for the areas adjacent to the Delaware Reserve’s dataloggers. For example, 

three system wide monitoring stations along the St. Jones River collected approximately 400,000 

data points between 1997-2004, which were used to help develop TMDLs for the nearby 

Mispillion River and Cedar Creek. The high volume and quality of data collected through the 

reserve’s system wide monitoring program helps state water quality managers understand trends 

in water quality parameters at reserve sites, which allows managers to calibrate models that 

extrapolate across the gaps in other data sets. 

Tijuana River Restoration 

The Tijuana River Estuarine Research Reserve has conducted an assessment of the functionality 

of restored salt marshes. This project included the examination of the influence of experimental 

tidal creeks on plant and animal populations within a 20-acre experimental marsh. Results of 

this research will be applied to the adaptive restoration program, which is an effort to integrate 

high quality science into phased restoration efforts. The Reserve is currently in the feasibility 

assessment stage for a large restoration project aiming to recover more than 200 acres of salt 

marsh. 

 Public and Student Education

EstuaryLive 

The EstuaryLive Internet field trip through estuaries continues to be a major education and 

outreach initiative sponsored by the National Estuarine Research Reserve System in partnership 

with the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program. Each year in the days 

just prior to National Estuaries Day (the last Saturday in September), thousands of K-12 students 

and teachers visit estuaries around the country via a series of live Internet broadcasts. They hear 

from scientists and educators about the roles estuaries play in the ecosystem, the interactions of 

wildlife, plants and humans, and the challenges faced in sustaining healthy estuaries. Students 

interact with the presenters by e-mailing questions, many of which are answered live on the air. 

Others are answered later by e-mail. 

In the 2004-2005 biennium, participation in EstuaryLive has grown exponentially. The number 

of teachers registering their classes in advance nearly doubled and the number of students who 

participated in the live event is estimated at more than 15,000 in 2005. An increase of more than 

a million people had access to the programs through local cable and public television outlets that 

carried them. 

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EstuaryLive uses state-of-the-art satellite technology to broadcast over the Internet and KU band 

satellites. Teacher preparation and support materials are available on the EstuaryLive Web 

site24, and EstuaryLive staff members provide personal support for teachers. EstuaryLive 

content includes history, culture, science (correlated to national science education standards), 

biology, chemistry, physics, and language. 

In 2005, one of the estuaries scheduled to participate in the EstuaryLive program was Grand Bay 

Reserve in Mississippi, which was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina just three weeks before the 

broadcast. The storm damaged facilities in the Reserve so the broadcast could not take place 

there, but Reserve staff were determined that the program would go on. They relocated the event 

to Mobile Bay, Alabama, with the help of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Mobile Bay 

Estuary Program, and adapted the outline for the show to include relevant information about 

hurricanes, the effects of coastal storms on estuarine biology and hydrology, and specific 

information and video about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on Grand Bay Reserve. 

Investments in Education Centers 

Growing demand for education programs has overwhelmed reserve facilities at some sites. As a 

result, expansion and improvement of education centers and laboratories have been priorities 

over the past two years. 

In 2004, U.S. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart joined the Florida Department of Environmental 

Protection’s Secretary Colleen M. Castille to cut the ribbon on the multi-million dollar, 16,500-

square-foot Environmental Learning Center at the Rookery Bay Reserve. The Center features 

5,000 square feet of exhibits, four marine research laboratories, a coastal training center, art 

gallery, aquaria, and a visitor’s center. Visitors are greeted at the door by an eight-foot sculpted 

polka-dot batfish illustrating the diversity of life found in the brackish waters of Rookery Bay. 

Through education, hands-on science, exploration and art, the Learning Center promotes a sense 

of stewardship for Florida’s living waters. 

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas Reserve near St. Augustine, Florida, opened a new 21,000- 

square-foot Environmental Education Center in September 2005. Funded largely by NOAA, this 

facility includes a multi-media theatre, classrooms and meeting rooms, life-size animal exhibits, 

and a Nature Store operated by Friends of the Reserve. Interpretive displays address many of the 

issues facing north Florida, from natural resource management to the inter-connectedness of 

people, plants, and animals. The center will enhance all of the reserve’s education, outreach, 

research, and coastal training programs. 

The Chesapeake Bay Virginia Reserve dedicated the 5,400-square-foot Catlett-Burruss Research 

and Education Laboratory at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester Point in 

September 2005. NOAA contributed about $1 million for construction of the facility, which will 

support water quality monitoring of Chesapeake Bay and tributaries, research in watershed and 

shallow water habitats, and training programs for targeted groups of students, teachers, and 

coastal decision-makers. The lab is named for the Catlett-Burruss family, which has contributed 

generously to the Reserve and to the Institute of Marine Science over the years. 

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In Washington State, the Padilla Bay Reserve opened two new wings on the Breazeale 

Interpretive Center in October 2005, including a 100-seat classroom, office space, library, 

reception area, volunteer room, conference room, and a large training and meeting room. The 

expansion significantly increases the capacity of the Interpretive Center to handle school groups 

and other individuals and organizations, including clients of the Coastal Training Program. 

A much-needed expansion to the Delaware Reserve’s Visitor Center added a small conference 

room, a large conference room, restrooms with showers, and four small offices and dorm 

facilities for visiting researchers. NOAA contributed $700,000 to help fund the expansion. 

These updates to the Delaware Reserve facility increase the Reserve’s ability to host teacher 

training workshops, volunteers, visiting researchers, and local community organizations. 

The Kachemak Bay Research Reserve dedicated the Alaska Island and Ocean Visitor Center in 

Homer, Alaska, in July 2004. This state-of-the-art interpretive, educational and research facility 

is shared with the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. NOAA, the National Fish and 

Wildlife Service, and the Federal Highway Administration financed the more than $14 million 

project. The 36,825-square-foot facility provides the reserve with space for administration and 

support offices, research laboratories, and public interpretation and education displays and 

forums. The facility enables the reserve to improve the understanding and conservation of the 

marine environment. 

Delaware Reserve’s “Green Eggs and Sand” 

“Green Eggs and Sand” is a curriculum composed of four educational modules that 

systematically guide students through an understanding of the horseshoe crab, its connection 

to a larger ecosystem (through shorebirds), its use by man, and finally human attempts to manage 

this resource given limited science and multiple stakeholders. Activities are multi-disciplinary, 

designed for flexible use in a variety of formal and non-formal educational settings, targeting 

middle school level and up. All lessons are keyed to national curriculum standards for science, 

math, social studies, and language. “Green Eggs and Sand: The Horseshoe Crab/Shorebird 

Education Project” was initiated in early 2000, in response to widespread interest in developing 

educational modules around the mid-Atlantic horseshoe crab/shorebird phenomenon, and the 

complex and challenging management issues it presents. 

During 2002, grant monies received through the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program 

of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NERRS provided funding needed to take the project to 

the next level. This included the addition of several lessons to the curriculum, revision of 

existing lessons based on feedback from pilot educators, the filming/editing of several more 

video pieces in support of specific lessons and to update new developments in the ongoing 

management story, and the re-formatting of the entire curriculum (lessons, videos, etc.) to a userfriendly CD/DVD product. Two workshops were also offered during the spring spawning season 

in both 2002 and 2003, with more than 150 new educators from 12 states participating. 

New workshops were planned for the spring of 2004 and beyond to continue delivery of Green 

Eggs and Sand materials and experience. A Green Eggs and Sand poster/brochure was 

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developed and printed. Requests for workshops and the curriculum came in from the east coast. 

In 2004 in addition to the three-day, intense Delaware workshop, one-day mini-workshops were 

held in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Virginia, all of which deal with controversy regarding 

horseshoe crabs and shorebirds. In 2005, Georgia was added to the one-day roster. All of these 

state venues have allowed the Green Eggs and Sand project to train teachers about the 

controversial issues surrounding horseshoe crabs in the Delaware Bay and along the eastern 

coast of the United States, giving them the tools necessary to pass along the information to their 

students. In 2005, the Green Eggs and Sand project team received the “Conservation 

Communicator of the Year Award” from the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife 

Agencies. 

Training for Teachers in the Chesapeake Bay 

The Chesapeake Bay Virginia Reserve’s education coordinator wrote a curriculum for teacher 

training that uses water quality data from the Reserve’s System Wide Monitoring Program. 

Using the data visualization tools created by the Reserve’s Central Data Management Office, the 

curriculum shows teachers how to use the Office’s website to obtain water quality and weather 

data for any given day. The curriculum also walks through computer-based lessons for middle 

school and high school students that use pre-selected data to demonstrate the impact of heavy 

rains on water quality parameters. The lessons increase students’ abilities to use technology, 

understand data, graph and identify data trends, and use the data to come to conclusions about 

which parameters are impacted by seasonal differences in temperature and rainfall. The 

curriculum also includes lessons about how monitoring data can be applied to decisions like 

determining the location of an aquaculture site or where to focus restoration efforts. 

Volunteer Monitoring at the Maryland Reserve 

Coordinated salamander, larval fish, toad, and frog surveys were conducted at the Chesapeake 

Bay Maryland Reserve in 2004 and 2005. Volunteers are trained to identify animals and 

coordinate monitoring efforts conducted by scientists in the area. Larval fish field training for 

volunteers was designed to help determine the availability of suitable spawning habitat for 

anadromous fish in the Bush River. Volunteers were trained to collect and identify 

ichthyoplanktonic samples (eggs of fish drifting in the water column), and were trained to collect 

water quality parameters. 

 Informing Coastal Decision Makers 

Coastal Training Program 

The research reserve system’s Coastal Training Program has provided up-to-date scientific 

information and skill-building opportunities to more than 17,800 individuals who are responsible 

for making decisions that affect coastal resources. The program helps to ensure that coastal 

decision-makers have the knowledge and tools to address crucial resource management issues. 

In the 2004-2005 biennium, the Coastal Training Program offered more than 130 training events 

to almost 5,000 decision-makers. 

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Coastal Training Programs focus on coastal habitat conservation and restoration, biodiversity, 

water quality, and sustainable resource management. Programs target a range of audiences, 

including land use planners, elected officials, regulators, land developers, community groups, 

environmental nonprofits, and coastal businesses. These training programs provide opportunities 

for professionals to network and develop new collaborative relationships to solve complex 

environmental problems. 

The Coastal Training Program takes a strategic approach to education. For a reserve's Coastal 

Training Program to become fully operational, it must conduct a series of needs assessments and 

a marketing analysis to target the community's needs, the audiences, and the appropriate 

approaches. Since 2002, 23 reserves completed the required strategic planning process to fully 

implement their Coastal Training Programs. 

Over the past two years the Coastal Training Program has developed a suite of performance 

measures and guidance protocols to ensure that data is being collected consistently across the 

system. Preliminary data was collected for 12 indicators in 2005. This initial data serves as a 

baseline for setting minimum requirements and performance targets for the training program. 

Data collected in 2005 show that 86 percent of participants in the Coastal Training program 

reported an increase in their own science-based knowledge and reported the intent to apply this 

new knowledge in their work. 

Nitrogen Monitoring and Management at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve 

One of the most difficult challenges facing coastal managers includes monitoring and managing 

nutrient runoff, particularly nitrogen from human land use practices. Excessive nitrogen in 

estuarine water can lead to explosive, damaging algae growth that can result in fish kills from 

depleted oxygen levels and interfere with the growth of native submerged aquatic vegetation. 

In 2003 and 2004, Elkhorn Slough Reserve, in central California, hosted two workshops on 

nitrogen monitoring for managers and researchers actively engaged in nutrient management in 

the region. The workshops were presented by nutrient cycling experts from the Cooperative 

Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology. They showed participants the 

latest geographic information system-linked biogeochemical model used to guide nutrient 

management decisions in the Elkhorn Slough watershed. The model provides spatially explicit 

simulations of biogeochemical processes that control nutrient cycling and subsequent trace gas 

and nutrient releases to air and water. 

The presenters introduced the decision support tool “Elkhorn Slough–DenitrificationDecomposition,” (ES-DNDC) and in the follow-up workshop provided an update on user 

interface improvements and refinements to the model, as well as detailed training on installing 

and using ES-DNDC to assess management alternatives. 

Participants left the workshops with a copy of ES-DNDC and, by contributing data and aiding in 

ongoing validation activities, have helped to improve the model. The Santa Clara Water District 

subsequently adopted the CICEET-sponsored model as a way to allot tax incentives for better 

management of nutrient run-off.

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Post-Katrina Recovery at the Weeks Bay Reserve

Within days after the catastrophic Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast in September 2005, 

the Weeks Bay Reserve in Alabama hosted a national web-based teleconference in the coastal 

training auditorium on disaster recovery. The Web conference gave a dozen local and regional 

government officials, researchers, and non-governmental organizations a chance to participate 

and get answers to questions about disaster recovery and loss mitigation. The program was free 

for participants in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. 

The conference was organized by the American Planning Association. Experts and experienced 

practitioners addressed best practices for disaster recovery in the context of planning. The 

conference focused on emergency permitting, envisioning the next steps, rebuilding local 

businesses, historic preservation, and long-term recovery planning. 

The disaster recovery conference is an example of using the reserves’ resources in partnership 

with others to broadly deliver science-based information to coastal decision-makers in response 

to an urgent need. Participants at the Weeks Bay event praised the session for the range of the 

subject matter and for answering questions specific to the Alabama-Mississippi coast while much 

of the attention was still focused on New Orleans. Participants also suggested additional topics 

for future training in planning for disaster recovery. 

 Partnerships for Coastal Management 

Coos Bay Hydrological Modeling Project 

A multi-disciplinary team of technical experts met in 2005 to define a strategy and identify 

specific requirements to develop a hydrodynamic model of Coos Bay and to establish an 

integrated coastal ocean observational system for Coos Bay, and near shore waters, that 

incorporates the existing data infrastructure. The model and observation system will support 

stakeholder needs for real time and accurate data to make decisions that affect industry and 

resource management in Coos Bay. Participants at the meeting included members of the 

technical team from NOAA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Oregon Graduate Institute, 

South Slough Reserve, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the Oregon 

Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Coos Watershed Association, and Southwestern Oregon 

Community College. 

This strategy is a gap analysis that steers data collection towards generating information and 

tools that will support decision-making in Coos Bay. The recommendations reflect opportunities 

to use specific data to support a diversity of user needs. The strategy builds on historical data 

sets, current modeling activities, and observational networks, and identifies the data framework 

and analysis needed to ensure that highest quality data can be applied to decisions regarding, 

among others, matters of public health and safety. This strategy will serve as a blueprint for 

pursuing data acquisition, maintenance, and delivery. The strategy will also provide excellent 

opportunities for training, outreach, and education that will support more efficient and costeffective decision making and enhanced educational opportunities for state, regional, and local 

school systems and universities. 

48
Monitoring Station Installed in Wells, Maine 

NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) and the 

National Estuarine Research Reserve System, collaborated in the summer of 2005 to install a tide 

and water quality monitoring station at the Wells Reserve in Wells, Maine. This demonstration 

project is a pilot effort to integrate the CO-OPS’ National Water Level Observation Network and 

the System Wide Monitoring Program, two defined backbones of the Integrated Ocean 

Observing System. It is the first station of its kind installed at a reserve, and used primarily for 

non-navigational purposes. The station includes primary and backup water level sensors, a suite 

of meteorological sensors, and, for the first time, a water quality sensor measuring several 

parameters is integrated with the station. The station allows Wells Reserve staff to access water 

level, weather, and water quality data all from the same platform at the same time, and the water 

quality data generated by this station will be compatible with the rest of the reserve’s system 

wide monitoring water quality data. Products generated from these data will benefit both shortterm (such as habitat restoration) and long-term (such as sea level trends) applications. Another 

outcome of this partnership will be a technology transfer effort enabling the reserve managers to 

be able to install, operate and maintain these kinds of systems around the country. 

Gulf of Mexico Alliance 

The five Gulf of Mexico state governors established the Gulf of Mexico Alliance in 2004 to 

develop regional priorities based on recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. 

Support for this regional partnership was a key commitment under the President’s Ocean Action 

Plan. Federal and state officials met in June 2005, to establish a framework for the Gulf Alliance 

Plan of Action, and to discuss and explore partnership opportunities. About 50 participants 

reviewed white papers developed on five priority topic areas agreed upon by the Gulf states: 

reducing nutrient loading; improving Gulf water quality; restoring coastal wetlands; identifying 

and characterizing Gulf habitats; and environmental education. In 2005, OCRM staff facilitated 

a meeting of the workgroup developing the nutrient loading white paper, and developed the 

template for all of the final white papers. The federal participants, including OCRM, provided a 

response to the white papers, preliminarily identifying existing and potential programs that may 

help to address the challenges laid out in the white papers. The final Plan of Action will be 

announced in 2006. 

The first of several community workshops took place in June 2005, hosted by Florida’s Rookery 

Bay Reserve. The workshop focused on local and regional needs of the Southwest Florida 

community with respect to the health of the Gulf of Mexico, and also served to better connect 

participants to federal and state efforts. Participants included local government and nongovernmental organizations, as well as state and federal representatives. The workshop will 

serve as a model for similar workshops along the Gulf of Mexico designed to forge strong 

connections with local communities and give them a mechanism to provide input to state and 

federal efforts to devise an action plan. 

49
National Marine Protected Areas Center

Presidential Executive Order 13158 on marine protected areas, signed in May 2000, called for 

the establishment of the National Marine Protected Areas Center, a collaboration between 

NOAA and the Department of the Interior. The Marine Protected Areas Center’s main task is to 

consult with government and non-government agencies and the public to develop a scientificallybased, comprehensive national system of marine protected areas. 

To carry out this task, the Marine Protected Areas Center has begun a multi-year process to 

engage the Nation in developing a framework for the national system of marine protected areas. 

The framework will serve as the set of guidelines for defining, developing, and implementing the 

national system. In order to develop the framework, the Marine Protected Areas Center is 

gathering stakeholder and partner input (from federal agencies, states, territories, 

commonwealths, the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee, regional fishery 

management councils, tribes, local trustees, coastal communities, resource users, and other 

stakeholders). The Marine Protected Areas Center is also analyzing natural and social science 

related to marine resources and their use. 

Once implemented, the national system of marine protected areas will represent diverse U.S. 

marine ecosystems and the Nation’s natural and cultural resources. It will enhance existing 

systems and further integrate the management of existing parks, refuges, sanctuaries, and 

estuarine reserves in marine and coastal areas. 

 National System of Marine Protected Areas 

Workshops and Briefings 

The Marine Protected Areas Center is engaged in a collaborative process to inform the Nation 

about the development of a framework for a national system of marine protected areas. During 

the 2004-2005 biennium, the Marine Protected Areas Center held a series of briefings, 

workshops, and participatory dialogues to gather recommendations and input from the Marine 

Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee, government and non-government agencies and 

organizations, authorities, coastal communities, user groups, and other stakeholders. The 

feedback gathered at these sessions serve as a cornerstone to drafting the framework for the 

national system of marine protected areas. 

In addition to briefings with NOAA and Department of the Interior staff, the Marine Protected 

Areas Center held a series of workshops for federal agencies, states, and other stakeholders to 

provide feedback on the goals of the national system and the development of the framework. 

Participants provided information on: 

• the process to develop a national system; 

• input on the goals and objectives of a national system; 

• feedback on their vision for a national system; 

50
• specific considerations for working with their agency or stakeholder group and how a 

national system could serve various stakeholder interests; 

• which natural and cultural resources should be conserved; and 

• how NOAA and the Department of the Interior can work with stakeholders and 

agencies around the country to develop a national system. 

Workshops for public and private stakeholders were held in various regions around the Nation, 

including in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, and West Coast. Based 

on the comments and feedback received from these groups, the Marine Protected Areas Center is 

drafting a framework that will be released for public comment in spring 2006. 

 Natural and Social Science 

Benthic-Pelagic Linkages 

The Marine Protected Areas Center gathered over 40 scientists, research managers, and 

recreational fishermen to discuss the effects of recreational pelagic fishing on benthic 

communities, and to determine if such fishing is compatible with marine protected areas. 

Vertical zoning was explored as an option for protecting benthic communities without 

eliminating recreational pelagic fishing. Participants developed general principles and guidelines 

that describe those cases where vertical zoning is appropriate for marine protected areas. Several 

products are expected to result from this workshop, including a general summary of guidance, 

future research, and a scientific peer reviewed publication as it applies to specific species. 

Social Science 

The Marine Protected Areas Center continued to take its national social science research strategy 

for marine protected areas to regional partners. The national strategy, which the Center created 

with experts from agency and academic affiliates, aims to inform and evaluate marine protected 

area processes by identifying six priority social science research themes: governance, 

institutions, and processes; use patterns; attitudes, perception and beliefs; economics of marine 

protected areas; communities; and submerged cultural resources. Regional workshops have been 

carried out in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (for southern Florida and the Caribbean region), 

Savannah, Georgia (for the south Atlantic region), Hawaii (for the Pacific Islands region), and 

for the Pacific Coast (for Alaska Washington, Oregon, and California). Participants review the 

national strategy, and then develop regional social science research plans to address local and 

regional marine protected area-related research priorities and information needs. 

Cultural and Historical Resources 

To promote collaboration and information exchange among individuals and agencies involved 

with the preservation and management of cultural and historic resources, the Marine Protected 

Areas Center launched a monthly newsletter highlighting marine cultural and historic news and 

updates from around the world. The publication, Cultural and Historic Resources Newsletter, 

features short summaries, links to news sites or relevant agency websites, and provides contact 

information when available. The newsletter serves as a primary resource for government and 

51
non-governmental partners engaged in marine protected area cultural resources work, as well as 

those interested in the subject of maritime heritage. It is distributed to more than 200 primary 

subscribers worldwide, and is redistributed to another 100 people through the Maritime 

Archaeology and Historical Society. 

 International Coordination 

North American Marine Protected Area Network

North American Marine Protected Area Network 

The Marine Protected Areas Center continued to develop the North American Marine Protected 

Area Network, alongside Parks Canada, Mexico’s National Commission on Protected Areas, and 

the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. In early 2005, the country leads for North 

American Marine Protected Area Network organized a workshop held in Loreto, Mexico. The 

focus of the conference was to develop a pilot project based on the migration route of gray 

whales along the Pacific Coast. Three sessions—“Measuring the Effectiveness of Marine 

Protected Areas," "Socioeconomic and Ecological Benefits of Marine Protected Areas," and 

"Creative Financing of Marine Protected Areas"—showcased 30 presentations made by 

scientists, government officials, and non-governmental representatives from across North 

America. 

Canada/Mexico/U.S. Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation 

and Management 

In 2005, the Marine Protected Areas Center, in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries, initiated 

participation in the Canada/Mexico/U.S. Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystem 

Conservation and Management. After 10 years of focusing its efforts on terrestrial 

environments, the Trilateral Committee adopted marine issues into its component tables at its 

10th annual meeting in May 2005. The Trilateral Committee is composed of six working tables: 

the executive table, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora 

and Fauna, law enforcement, migratory birds and wetlands, species of common concern, and 

ecosystem conservation. The Marine Protected Areas Center participates at the ecosystem 

conservation table.

International Marine Protected Areas Congress 

The Marine Protected Areas Center partnered with NOAA’s International Program Office and 

National Marine Sanctuary Program to coordinate NOAA participation in the first International 

Marine Protected Areas Congress, held in October 2005 in Geelong, Australia. The Marine 

Protected Areas Center directed the development and organization for the NOAA exhibit, 

resulting in participation from six offices: Office of Response and Restoration Corals Program, 

National Marine Sanctuary Program, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Marine 

Protected Areas Center, National Ocean Service Public Affairs, and NOAA Fisheries’ Office of 

Constituent Affairs. The Marine Protected Areas Center participated in a panel discussion 

focused on national marine protected area efforts, and presented a poster that highlighted North 

American partnerships. More than 800 policy makers, government officials, non-governmental 

52
representatives, and others from around the world attended International Marine Protected Areas 

Congress. 

Gulf of Maine 

The Marine Protected Areas Center’s northeast regional coordinator continued to support 

the Gulf of Maine Council as a member of its working group and the habitat conservation 

subcommittee. In 2005, the Gulf of Maine Council distributed the Gulf of Maine Marine Habitat 

Primer, which provides an overview of marine habitats in the Gulf of Maine. The Marine 

Protected Areas Center’s New England regional coordinator was expected to become the U.S. 

co-chair of the Gulf of Maine Council’s habitat conservation subcommittee in 2006. 

 Inventories of Marine Managed Areas and De Facto Marine Protected Areas 

Marine Managed Areas Inventory 

The marine managed areas inventory is a multi-agency effort to gather information about the 

wide range of place-based marine management efforts in the United States. Examples of marine 

managed areas include national parks, national wildlife refuges, national marine sanctuaries, 

national estuarine research reserves, fisheries management areas, state beaches, and state parks. 

The data collected in the inventory contains a general description and site characteristics, such as 

location, purpose, and type of site, as well as detailed information on natural and cultural 

resources, legal authorities, site management, and regulations and restrictions. 

The marine managed areas inventory: 

• Helps regional, local, state and federal managers, scientists, non-governmental organizations, 

and others to better analyze and understand what sites exist and the management capabilities 

of those sites; 

• Allows users to analyze and assess issues such as threats and effectiveness in protecting 

natural and cultural resources; and 

• Provides a comprehensive information base to assist in the development of a national system 

of marine protected areas. 

The majority of federal sites are complete, and information from 32 of 35 coastal states and 

territories was expected to be posted to the database in 2006. The Marine Protected Areas 

Center estimates that there are at least 2,000 marine managed areas in the United States. 

De Facto Marine Protected Areas Inventory 

Some marine areas are closed for non-conservation purposes, such as security zones, safety 

areas, and navigation lanes, but indirectly provide a level of protection to the marine resources 

due to their closed status. To understand this critical part of the ocean governance picture, the 

Marine Protected Areas Center has created an inventory and associated geographic information 

system database of these de facto marine protected areas throughout the United States. The 

completed inventory provides a comprehensive and objective assessment of the nature and extent 

of these sites. It will be evaluated to determine the impacts of de facto marine protected areas on 

53
human users, their potential contribution to conservation and management of the Nation’s marine 

ecosystems, the extent to which these restricted areas may contribute to the ocean conservation 

and management goals of NOAA and its island partners, and the extent to which the sites can be 

included in the national system of marine protected areas. The de facto inventory includes more 

than 1,200 classified sites throughout U.S. and territorial waters, with digital boundaries for all 

but 25 of the sites. 

 Outreach and Education 

Current: the Journal of Marine Education 

The Marine Protected Areas Center sponsored the July/August 2004 edition of, Current: the 

Journal of Marine Education, dedicated to marine protected area issues. The journal is 

published by the National Marine Educators Association. The Marine Protected Areas Center 

worked with more than 50 authors, reviewers, editors, illustrators, and others to publish the 

edition. The articles covered a wide range of related topics, including migrating birds and 

whales, dunes and marshes in national parks, shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, and traditional 

Hawaiian fisheries management. The edition also featured illustrations by Jim Toomey, the 

creator of “Sherman’s Lagoon” cartoons. A Spanish language edition was also made available. 

“Understanding Marine Protected Areas” Workshop 

The Marine Protected Areas Center partnered with Coastal America to bring the full-day 

workshop, “Understanding Marine Protected Areas,” to a number of aquariums designated as 

Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers. These workshops provided training to stakeholders, 

including the general public, on the basic principles and issues surrounding marine protected 

areas. Workshop topics included marine protected area types and uses, history, the role of 

science, and information on how to get involved. Based on the success of the day-long 

workshop, the Marine Protected Areas Center has also created a condensed, one-hour 

presentation on marine protected areas in the United States. 

Navigating the Nation’s Marine Managed Areas 

The Marine Protected Areas Center is collaborating with the NOAA Office of Coast Survey to 

provide data from the marine managed areas inventory to mariners, and other users, about the 

location, purpose, and allowable activities in existing sites through the U.S. Coast Pilot® and 

other navigation products. A final project description was released to the public in August 2005. 

The project is now in production phase. Priority regions for data synthesis and publication in 

fiscal year 2006 include the West Coast of the United States and the Florida Keys. 

 Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee 

The Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee provides expert advice to the 

Departments of Commerce and the Interior on the implementation of Executive Order 13158. 

The 30 committee members are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce and, with their diverse 

backgrounds and experience, represent parties interested in the use and impact of marine 

54
protected areas as a management tool. The members represent a broad stakeholder community, 

including scientists, commercial and recreational fishermen, state and tribal resource managers, 

environmentalists, and other resource users. In addition, nine federal agencies are represented by 

non-voting members of the Committee. The Marine Protected Areas Center supports the 

Committee. 

During the 2004-2005 biennium, the Committee met in various regions around the Nation, where 

they heard presentations from fishery management councils, site managers, scientists, and tribal 

resource managers, in addition to other stakeholders. The Committee also formed three 

subcommittees to focus on: developing a national system of marine protected areas; stewardship 

and effectiveness of marine protected areas; and national and regional coordination of marine 

protected area efforts. 

The Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee finalized its first set of 

recommendations in 2005, and members voted unanimously to approve them. The 

recommendations were delivered to the Departments of Commerce and the Interior in June 2005. 

Dr. Daniel Bromley, the chairman, met with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 

Atmosphere Conrad C. Lautenbacher, and Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for 

Lands and Minerals Management Rebecca Watson, in August 2005, to brief them on the 

Committee’s recommendations. In addition, the report was distributed to members of Congress, 

researchers, federal and state agencies, and other interested parties, and made available on the 

MPA.gov website. 

55
Conclusion 

As a result of the Coastal Zone Management Act—and the success of its programs—our 

Nation’s coastal communities are better assured of continued environmental quality and 

economic vitality. NOAA, in partnership with coastal states and territories, will continue to 

pursue the objectives of the Coastal Zone Management Act. OCRM is well positioned to build 

on the success of 2004 and 2005 in its role as a partner with states and local communities and a 

steward of our Nation’s coastal resources. 

56
306 309 6217 315 315

2004 2005 2004 2005 2004 2005 2004 2005 2004 2005 2004 2005

Alabama 1,606 1,347 105 105 45 89 575 575 - - 2,375 2,072 

Alaska 2,020 1,960 540 540 112 305 575 555 - 197 3,420 3,384 

American Samoa 888 818 76 76 92 240 - - - - 1,204 986

California 2,020 1,960 540 540 197 580 1,211 1,725 - 2,557 6,979 4,351 

Connecticut 2,020 1,960 179 179 105 283 - - - - 2,482 2,244 

Delaware 1,509 1,276 101 101 97 257 505 505 2,474 50 4,846 2,029 

Florida 2,020 1,960 540 540 112 305 1,852 1,863 3,463 1,593 6,068 8,180 

Georgia 2,020 1,960 273 273 71 172 625 628 - - 3,090 2,932 

Guam 922 844 77 77 72 40 - - - - 1,071 961

Hawaii 2,020 1,921 175 175 52 110 - - - - 2,305 2,148 

Illinois - - - - - - - - - - - -

Indiana 1,158 1,016 - - - 28 - - - - 1,158 1,044 

Louisiana 2,020 1,960 540 540 112 305 - - - - 2,865 2,612 

Maine 2,020 1,960 413 413 183 535 632 590 410 825 3,968 4,013 

Maryland 2,020 1,960 526 526 197 580 485 575 - 85 3,701 3,253 

Massachusetts 2,020 1,960 418 418 184 539 595 648 - - 3,625 3,157 

Michigan 2,020 1,960 540 540 112 305 - - 2,865 2,612 - 

Minnesota 1,041 932 82 82 75 41 - - 1,198 1,055 - 

Mississippi 1,273 1,102 92 92 80 43 620 625 - 630 2,065 2,492 

New Hampshire 1,062 946 83 83 94 246 595 595 *1 *1 1,986 1,718 

New Jersey 2,020 1,960 540 540 112 305 575 632 2,968 884 6,465 4,071 

New York 2,020 1,960 540 540 112 305 555 555 - 296 3,420 3,463 

North Carolina 2,020 1,960 396 396 180 524 595 595 - - 3,535 3,131 

Northern Marianas 972 880 80 80 93 244 - - 1,296 1,053 - 

Ohio 2,020 1,960 182 182 53 114 635 595 396 - 3,347 2,790 

Oregon 2,020 1,960 219 219 60 137 665 615 - - 3,041 2,854 

Pennsylvania 2,020 1,915 174 174 104 280 - - 2,474 2,193 - 

Puerto Rico 2,020 1,960 219 219 113 307 485 575 - - 3,121 2,777 

Rhode Island 1,646 1,915 107 107 98 260 635 662 - 585 2,648 3,367 

South Carolina 2,020 1,960 352 352 86 221 1,541 1,495 4,453 350 8,587 4,243 

Texas 2,020 1,960 540 540 112 305 65 40 - - 2,930 2,652 

U.S. Virgin Islands 963 872 79 79 93 244 - - 1,286 1,044 - 

Virginia 2,020 1,960 540 540 197 580 615 645 - 89 3,785 3,401 

Washington 2,020 1,960 539 539 112 305 589 675 - 585 3,539 3,785 

Wisconsin 2,020 1,960 193 193 108 291 - - - - 2,504 2,261 

Total 59,500 56,944 10,000 10,000 3,550 9,500 15,569 15,624 14,164 8,726 108,733 94,844

Notes: *1 Funding was earmarked for Great Bay NERR and awarded under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act 

in FY 2004 ($5,936,865) and FY 2005 ($7,811,920)

Totals

Program 

Administration

ITEMIZATION OF ALLOCATION OF FUNDS

Appendix A

(in thousands of dollars)

Program 

State Enhancement Nonpoint Program

Section

NERRS Acquisition 

and Construction

NERRS Operations, 

Education & 

Graduate Research 

Fellowships

57
Appendix B 

National Coastal Management Program Accomplishments for 

FY 2004 – 2005 

State Policy 

Changes to 

Coastal 

Programs 

Coastal 

Enhancement 

Grant Assessment 

and Strategy 

(§309) 

Funded 

Coastal 

Estuarine 

Land 

Conservation 

Program 

Funded 

Coastal 

Public 

Access 

Program 

(§306A)

Approved 

Coastal 

Nonpoint 

Pollution 

Programs 

(§6717) 

Arkansas X X 

Alaska X X X 

California X X X 

Northern 

Mariana Islands 

X X 

Connecticut X X X X X 

Delaware X X 

Florida X X X 

Georgia X X 

Guam X X 

Hawaii X X X X 

Indiana X X 

Louisiana X X 

Massachusetts X X 

Maryland X X X X 

Maine X X X 

Michigan X X X 

Minnesota X X X 

Mississippi X X 

North Carolina X X 

New Hampshire X X 

New Jersey X X X 

New York X X X 

Ohio X X X 

Oregon X X 

Pennsylvania X X 

Puerto Rico X X 

Rhode Island X X 

South Carolina X 

Texas X X X 

Virginia X X X 

Virgin Islands X 

Washington X X X 

Wisconsin X X X 

Data provided only reflects changes and/or expenditures of programs by state for 2004 and 2005 biennium. For 

further information regarding CZMA initiatives and project status by state, please refer to chapter Progress in 

Addressing Major Goals of the Coastal Zone Management Act. 

58
Appendix C 

Program Accomplishments for National Estuarine Research Reserves 

FY 2004 – 2005

Reserve 

SystemWide 

Monitoring 

Program 

Participation 

in the 

Graduate 

Research 

Fellowship 

Program 

Education 

Programs 

Coastal 

Training 

Program 

Stewardship 

Program 

ACE Basin Reserve, South Carolina X X X X X 

Apalachicola Reserve, Florida X X X X X 

Chesapeake Bay Reserve, Maryland X X X X 

Chesapeake Bay Reserve, Virginia X X X X X 

Delaware Reserve X X X X 

Elkhorn Slough Reserve, California X X X X X 

Grand Bay Reserve, Mississippi X X X X X 

Great Bay Reserve, New Hampshire X X X X X 

Guana Tolomato Matanzas Reserve, Florida X X X X X 

Hudson River Reserve, New York X X X X X 

Jacques Cousteau Reserve, New Jersey X X X X X 

Jobos Bay Reserve, Puerto Rico X X X X X 

Kachemak Bay Reserve, Alaska X X X X X 

Narragansett Bay Reserve, Rhode Island X X X X X 

North Carolina Reserve X X X X X 

North Inlet-Winyah Bay Reserve, South Carolina X X X X X 

Old Woman Creek, Ohio X X X X X 

Padilla Bay Reserve, Washington X X X X X 

Rookery Bay Reserve, Florida X X X X X 

San Francisco Bay Reserve, California X X X X 

Sapelo Island, Georgia X X X X X 

South Slough Reserve, Oregon X X X X X 

Tijuana River Reserve, California X X X X X 

Waquoit Bay Reserve, Massachusetts X X X X X 

Weeks Bay Reserve, Alabama X X X X X 

Wells Reserve, Maine X X X X X 

All research, monitoring, education and stewardship programs within the National Estuarine Research Reserve 

System (NERRS) are well established and have been successfully ongoing for years. A summary of program 

accomplishments recorded for fiscal year 2004-2005 follows below. 

The System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) has continued to collect and report weather and water quality 

data from at least one weather and four water quality data loggers for fiscal year 2004-2005. The data has been 

transmitted to the Centralized Data Management Office for quality control and quality assurance and for distribution 

on the web. In 2004, the Reserve System initiated biological monitoring demonstration projects at some of the 

reserves. The projects monitor submerged aquatic vegetation and marsh habitats. 

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program hosts at up to two research graduate fellows at any given time to 

conduct research activities within a reserve under a $20,000 per year NOAA grant. Fellowships can last 1-3 years. 

In fiscal year 2004-2005, NOAA funded 44 returning fellows and 56 new fellows. 

59
The Education Programs conduct a wide range of education and outreach activities across the reserves, including 

K-12, teacher training, and community education programs. Estuary Live, an interactive virtual Internet field trip to 

reserves for students, is conducted once a year. During fiscal year 2004-2005, 750 teachers and 35,000 students 

participated in the EstuaryLive. 

The Coastal Training Program is implemented in all but three reserves (see table for detail). CTP conducts 

science-based training workshops for coastal decision-makers, including elected and appointed officials, real-estate 

developers, city planners, non-profit organization and others. The CTP conducted an average of 310 workshops 

system-wide for 11,500 participants in fiscal year 2004-2005. 

The Stewardship Program conducts land-use and habitat mapping across the NERRS. All reserves participate in 

some form of stewardship activity which includes maintaining inventories of reserve natural resources, ecological 

restoration, land acquisition and invasive species control. 

60
References 

 

1 Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century, U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, 2004. 2 Valuing Coastal Zone Management, National Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute, March, 

1990. 

3

 Ibid. 

4 2003 Desktop Data Files, Woods and Poole Economics, Inc. (W&PE). 2002. 

5 Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century, U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, 2004. 6

 Ibid 

7

 Ibid 

8

 Ibid 

9

 Ibid 

10 Ibid 

11 Ibid 

12 http://www.csc.noaa.gov/socialscience (accessed December 14, 2005) 13 http://www.csc.noaa.gov/training/ (accessed December 14, 2005) 14 http://www.csc.noaa.gov/crs (accessed December 14, 2005) 15 National Energy Policy – Report of the National Energy Policy Development Group, May 2001. 

16 568 Federal Register 34851-34874, June 11, 2003.

17http://www.ocrm.nos.noaa.gov/czm/proposed_rule_June_11_2003.html (accessed December 14, 2005) 18http:// www.coastalmangement.noaa.gov/czm/federal_consistency.html 

19 Fiscal Year 2002 Appropriations Act for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State (Public Law 107-77) 

and codified at 16 USC 1456d. 

20 http://www.csc.noaa.gov/scoysters/ (accessed December 14, 2005) 21 Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma “Retired” From List of Storm Names, National Hurricane Center News 

and Information Archive. 

22 Population Trends Along the Coastal United States: 1980-2008, NOAA/NOS, Special Projects Office (SPO), 

2004. 

23 Population Trends Along the Coastal United States: 1980-2008, NOAA/NOS, Special Projects Office (SPO), 

2004.

24 http://www.estuaries.gov. (accessed December 14, 2005) 

61