Source: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/czm/program-areas/communications/cz-mail/archives/2013/cz-mail-march-2013.html
Timestamp: 2017-11-19 21:31:23
Document Index: 316831096

Matched Legal Cases: ['§930', '§319', '§319', '§319', '§319', '§604']

CZ-Mail March 2013
CZM Proposes Regulation Changes
Two regulatory changes are being proposed by CZM to (1) promulgate regulations to administer and implement the Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan and (2) modernize rules governing the administration of the state's federally approved Coastal Program. On behalf of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and as required by the Ocean Act of 2008, CZM is proposing regulations to administer the 2009 Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan. The proposed implementing regulations were developed with input and guidance from an advisory group consisting of a broad cross-section of stakeholders and interests and were reviewed and endorsed by the Ocean Advisory Commission. CZM is also proposing to revise regulations governing the administration of the state's official Coastal Program. Federal regulations at 15 CFR §930 governing Federal Consistency Review were modified in 2007, and these changes required updates and revisions to state regulations. CZM determined that significant parts of existing regulations at 301 CMR 21 are duplicative of the new federal rules, and that by moving the few necessary state provisions governing Federal Consistency Review in Massachusetts into the rules governing administration of the state's Coastal Program (301 CMR 20), the current regulations at 301 CMR 21 could be eliminated, reducing regulations and improving regulatory efficiency. On March 22, CZM will hold two public hearings in Boston to hear testimony on both sets of proposed regulations. For more information, including text of the proposed regulations, public hearing notices, and instructions for submitting written testimony, see the CZM website. Written testimony is due by April 22.
Storm Team Assesses Damage from Blizzard of 2013
From February 9-11, 35 members of the State Coastal Storm Damage Assessment Team (Storm Team) were deployed to check the coastline for damage from the Blizzard of 2013 (dubbed Winter Storm Nemo by the Weather Channel). The Storm Team is led by CZM, and CZM's Rebecca Haney was stationed in the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) State Emergency Operations Center throughout the storm to coordinate Storm Team efforts and feed reports directly to emergency management personnel. Although access to the coast was limited in some areas due to flooding, fallen trees, downed power lines, and unpaved secondary roads, more than 215 damage reports were submitted by Storm Team members. They found widespread and severe beach and dune erosion and flooding—particularly from Salisbury to Cape Ann, from Hull to Plymouth, on the north and east facing shores of Cape Cod, and on Nantucket. Erosion from the storm undermined houses, roads, and utilities. Specific reports included: extensive flooding of coastal neighborhoods, significant overwash of seawalls and other shoreline stabilization structures, damaged pavement on coastal roads and parking areas, exposed utility lines from erosion beneath damaged pavement, several sinkholes behind seawalls and one in a roadway, leaning utility poles, and destroyed decks and beach access stairs. One house in Plymouth was completely destroyed and many buildings appeared to be significantly damaged as a result of coastal erosion and flooding in Salisbury, Newbury, Rockport, Gloucester, Hull, Scituate, Duxbury, Plymouth, Sandwich, and Brewster. The storm damage reports, which were entered into the StormReporter web-based database, helped inform MEMA, the National Weather Service, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), and other agencies with the information they needed to make decisions regarding the deployment of state and federal resources and National Weather Service advisories regarding this storm and the one that followed a week later. The reports also assisted MEMA in the evaluation of eligibility for federal financial assistance under a presidential disaster declaration.
2013 MassBays Research and Planning Grants
In February, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) announced $84,000 in federal funding awards through the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program (MassBays) Research and Planning Grants. Grants will support local initiatives and fund projects to understand the causes of coastal habitat degradation, develop plans to address coastal water quality and restore estuarine habitats, and build local capacity to protect coastal resources. Funds will be provided to the following nonprofits and academic institutions:
Friends of Herring River, Wellfleet/Truro - $20,000 to evaluate the effectiveness of proposed tidal control structures designed to restore salt marsh conditions to the Herring River floodplain in Wellfleet.
Neponset River Watershed Association - $7,500 to address water quality concerns in the Neponset River Area of Critical Environmental Concern.
Cohasset Center for Student Central Research - $10,600 to conduct a survey of river herring populations and perform water quality monitoring in the Gulf River estuary.
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries - $8,120 to study the impacts of small docks and piers on salt marsh vegetation in Massachusetts estuaries.
University of New Hampshire - $20,000 to test the viability of transplanting eelgrass into Plum Island Sound, where it was once abundant.
Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies - $18,323 to conduct an assessment of shoreline change along the coast from Beach Point in Truro to Jeremy Point in Wellfleet.
Projects funded through this grant program will help MBP, which is hosted by CZM, implement its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan—a blueprint for protecting the environmental health of Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay. Funding for MBP and these grants is provided through an annual agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
NROC Announces Availability of Marine Industry White Papers
As part of its support for regional ocean planning, over the past year the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) has been engaged with members and stakeholders of marine-based industries in a project to characterize the industry sectors, identify key issues and trends relevant to ocean planning, and serve as a starting place for future discussions with the industries and others. The marine industries (and sectors) that NROC focused on are aquaculture, maritime commerce, and energy (including offshore wind, marine hydrokinetic, natural gas, and transmission). A series of white papers have been developed, based on analyses of key publications and reports on the sector, informed by interviews and surveys of sector representatives, and direct dialogue and feedback provided by sector members at a series of hands-on working sessions. The white papers are now available on NROC's website: aquaculture, maritime commerce, and energy. In addition to the work with aquaculture, maritime commerce, and energy, NROC is also engaging with the commercial fishing and recreational boating industries, and with natural conservation interests on similar efforts to inform regional ocean planning and will be providing work products on these projects over the next several months.
CZ-Tip - Fish for Compliments with Healthy Coastal Cuisine
Whether you are still sticking to your New Year's resolution or thinking about swimsuit season to come, losing weight may be on your mind despite the winter doldrums. While CZM can't recommend gyms or give lessons on snowshoeing post-Nemo, we can help you eat healthier the coastal way. Check out CZ-Tip - Get Healthy and Go Loco for Local Seafood for recipes to help you get more Omega-3 (the good fat), lean protein, and local flavor.
MassBays Regional Service Providers - The Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program is seeking proposals from qualified Regional Service Providers to support the implementation and update of MassBays' Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan in the four MassBays regions—Upper North Shore, Salem Sound, South Shore, and Cape Cod. One-year grants of approximately $61,000 will be awarded for each regional provider. Proposals are due on March 15.
Environmental Literacy Grants - NOAA's Office of Education is seeking proposals for Environmental Literacy Grants to fund projects designed to build the capacity of educators to use NOAA data and data access tools to help K-12 students and the public understand and respond to global change. Applications are due by March 12.
§319 Grants Pre-RFR Meetings - On March 20 and 27, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) will hold two meetings to field questions and discuss the upcoming RFR and new draft guidance for the §319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Competitive Grants Program. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to attend these pre-RFR sessions to be held at the MassDEP offices in Worcester. For more information on the grants, contact MassDEP's §319 coordinator, Jane Peirce, at jane.peirce@state.ma.us. For details about past §319 projects, see the MassDEP website.
Water Quality Management Planning Program Grants - The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is seeking proposals for the Fiscal Year 2013 Federal §604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Program Grants to fund nonpoint source assessment activities that support MassDEP's assessment efforts. Project applications are due by March 22.
NOAA Special Project and Program Funding - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking proposals for its annual Broad Agency Announcement to fund special projects and programs associated with the NOAA's strategic plan and mission goals. This announcement is a mechanism to encourage research, technical projects, or sponsorships (conferences, newsletters) that are not normally funded through competitive discretionary programs. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until September 30.
Hurricane Sandy Workshop Proceedings - On January 29, the Saugus River Watershed Council hosted the workshop Protecting Watershed Resources in a Changing Climate, which explored how lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy can inform local and regional efforts to protect watershed resources in a changing climate. Workshop presentations are now available online. For copies of the PowerPoint presentations, see Coastal Impacts of Hurricane Sandy and Tools for Better Management by Julia Knisel, CZM's Coastal Shoreline and Floodplain Manager; Climate Change and Stormwater Management: Lessons Learned from Hurricane Sandy and Future Regulatory Initiatives by Steve Roy, Principal, Geosyntec Consultants; Local Climate Change Adaptation Plans: Saugus River Watershed by Joan LeBlanc, Executive Director, Saugus River Watershed Council; and Metro Boston Climate Change Adaptation Strategy by Sam Cleaves, Senior Planner, Metropolitan Area Planning Council.
Climate Change Adaptation Report - The Boston Harbor Association has released Preparing for the Rising Tide, a report that provides vulnerability analyses for Boston Harbor and time-phased preparedness plans for Boston's Long and Central Wharves and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Boston campus to increase their resilience to coastal flooding over time.
LID Fact Sheets - EPA has released a series of seven Low Impact Development (LID) Fact Sheets. Primarily intended for state and local decision makers who are considering adoption of LID, these fact sheets explain the benefits of LID and directly address specific concerns that have been raised about adopting LID.
Coastal Wetland Review Reports - EPA has released four Coastal Wetland Reviews that provide the results of meetings with stakeholders in coastal watersheds throughout the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. EPA convened these meetings to better understand regional stressors on wetlands in coastal watersheds, local protection strategies, and key gaps that, if addressed, could help reverse the trend of wetland loss. See EPA's Coastal Wetlands page for links to the reviews.
2012 Ocean Literacy Summit Proceedings - From November 1-2, the 2012 Ocean Literacy Summit was held at the University of Rhode Island. Presentations from most of the summit's concurrent sessions are now available through the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems website.
Impacts of Marine Debris - The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity has published Impacts of Marine Debris on Biodiversity: Current Status and Potential Solutions, a report that provides a review of the current state of knowledge of the effects of marine debris and provides a preliminary assessment of the impact on ecosystems and biodiversity.
Marine Protected Area Climate Change Guidance - The Commission for Environmental Cooperation of North America has released Guide for Planners and Managers to Design Resilient Marine Protected Area Networks in a Changing Climate, a guide intended to help marine protected area (MPA) program and network planners and managers meet the challenges due to climate change.
Environmental Water Requirements for Estuaries - The Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity have published Determination and Implementation of Environmental Water Requirements for Estuaries, a report that provides a review of available methods for determining the environmental water requirements of estuaries, as well as a discussion of trends in method development and requirements for the successful implementation of environmental water requirements.
Lidar 101 Updated - The Coastal Services Center (CSC) has updated Introduction to Lidar, which provides introductory and overview information, as well as in-depth technical information, to support decision making in all phases of LIDAR projects. CSC has updated this publication to address recent advancements in LIDAR technologies, such as mobile mapping systems.
MPA Connections - The February 2013 edition of MPA Connections, the newsletter of NOAA's National Marine Protected Areas Center, focuses on recreation in MPAs.
The Sandbar - The January 2013 issue of The Sandbar, a quarterly publication reporting on legal issues affecting the U.S. oceans and coasts by the National Sea Grant College Program, features articles on the west coast groundfish program, takings claim for temporary flooding, and other ocean- and coastal-related legal issues.
MIT Sea Grant Newsletter - The February 2013 newsletter of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sea Grant College Program features details on new ocean and coastal research, student awards, and other MIT Sea Grant updates and marine-related news.
Sound Waves - The January/February 2013 issue of Sound Waves, the monthly newsletter from the U.S. Geological Survey, features articles on mapping, measuring, and modeling water quality in a New Jersey estuary, a coastal groundwater exchange in Washington, and other coastal and marine research news.
Marine Ecosystems and Management Information Service - The February/March 2013 edition of Marine Ecosystems and Management, the bimonthly information service on marine ecosystem-based management from the University of Washington School of Marine Affairs, features articles on communications and marine spatial planning, marine spatial planning updates, and other notes and news.
StormSmart Legal Site - The StormSmart Coasts Network has launched StormSmart Legal, a collaborative effort led by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program that provides information about property rights, regulatory takings, and permissible government regulation in coastal areas.
Climate Resilience Tool Update - EPA has updated the Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT), a software tool to assist drinking water and wastewater utility owners and operators in understanding potential climate change threats and in assessing the related risks at their individual utilities. CREAT also provides regional climate change information, which includes a list of potential impacts to utilities and directs users to a library of adaptation measures. The updated CREAT builds on the first version by providing local historical climate data, as well as more comprehensive downscaled climate change projections. This new version uses a flexible framework, which allows utilities, regardless of size or type, to consider climate impacts at multiple locations and to assess multiple climate scenarios.
Water Health and Economic Analysis Tool - EPA has released an updated version of the Water Health and Economic Analysis Tool (WHEAT), which now estimates consequences for both drinking water and wastewater utilities. Developed in collaboration with water sector partners, the release of WHEAT 2.0 will provide utilities of all sizes with the capability to assess, plan for, and better respond to man-made threats and natural disasters. Also, a series of WHEAT training webinars are being offered. Click on the "Training Calendar" tab to register.
Marine Spatial Planning Film - The new short film, Protecting Our Oceans Through Marine Spatial Planning, focuses on protecting ocean environments so they remain healthy and able to support the food, job, transportation, and energy needs of worldwide economies. This film is the final installation of a four-part series that explores ocean planning with practitioners from around the world.
Blue Carbon Portal - The United Nations Environment Programme has launched The Blue Carbon Portal, a website that aims to improve understanding of blue carbon habitats—marine ecosystems that capture and store atmospheric carbon. This portal has been created to provide a central online community resource and professional networking tool to increase access to blue carbon information.
Weather Reporting App - The NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, in partnership with the University of Oklahoma, has launched a free app for users to anonymously report precipitation from their Apple and Android mobile devices. With the mPING app, anyone can send a weather observation on the go. The user simply opens the app, selects the type of precipitation that is falling, and presses submit. The user's location and the time of the observation are automatically included in the report. For details, see the NOAA website.
GreenStream Listserv - EPA's Green Infrastructure Program has launched GreenStream, a green infrastructure listserv to share training opportunities, newsletters, and publications. To join, please send an e-mail to join-greenstream@lists.epa.gov.
Disaster Hero - The new online game, Disaster Hero, provides a fun way for children in grades 1-8 to learn what to do in a number of disaster situations, including tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. The game's website also includes resources for parents and teachers.
Northeast Climate Database - NOAA, the National Wildlife Federation, and EPA have launched the Northeast Climate Database, NEclimateUS.org, a searchable, online database that provides a gateway to climate information for the Eastern United States. The site is in the early stages of development. Content will change with time to reflect developments in climate work within the region.
Flood Hazard Mapping Guidance and Specifications - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking comments on the revised Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners, which support flood risk mapping for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). These documents define technical requirements, product specifications for flood hazard maps and related NFIP products, and requirements associated coordination and documentation activities. FEMA has reviewed all of these requirements and developed an updated set of 450 standards for the program. For more information, see the FEMA website. Submit comments to FEMA.GS@riskmapcds.com by March 8.
Draft Climate Change Adaptation Plan - EPA is seeking public comment on the Draft EPA Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The EPA Adaptation Plan is being developed in response to a key recommendation made by the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force in October 2010 that every federal agency develop and implement a climate-change adaptation plan to address the challenges climate change poses to its mission, operations, and programs. For more information, including commenting instructions, see the regulations.gov website. Comments are due by April 9.
Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations: Nantucket, Marion, Mattapoisett, and Wareham - FEMA is seeking comments on the proposed Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) for the following coastal communities: Nantucket, Marion, Mattapoisett, and Wareham. The BFEs are the basis for the floodplain management measures that a community must adopt to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. The preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for the proposed BFEs are available at each community's town hall. Submit comments, identified by Docket No. FEMA-B-1275, by March 11 to Luis Rodriguez at Luis.Rodriguez3@fema.dhs.gov.
Proposed Flood Elevation Determinations: New Bedford, Fairhaven, Quincy, and Milton - FEMA is also seeking comments on the proposed BFEs for the following coastal communities: New Bedford, Fairhaven, Quincy, and Milton. The preliminary FIRMs for the proposed BFEs are available at each community's town hall. Submit comments, identified by Docket No. FEMA-B-1283, by April 29 to Luis Rodriguez at Luis.Rodriguez3@fema.dhs.gov.
Draft Third National Climate Assessment Report - The National Climate Assessment Development and Advisory Committee, the federal advisory committee for the National Climate Assessment, is seeking comments on the draft of the Third National Climate Assessment Report. Comments are due by April 12.
Waquoit Bay Summer Internships - The Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is seeking applications for several unpaid summer internships at the reserve in Falmouth. One research and three education positions are available. For more information, including application details, see the WBNERR website.
Water Watch Lecture Series - On Wednesdays through April 3, the North and South Rivers Watershed Association will hold a Water Watch Lecture Series at the South Shore Natural Science Center. On March 6 at 7:00 p.m., Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife's Steve Hurley will present Native Brook Trout Tagging Tales. Lectures are free and open to the public.
Cape Wildlife Lectures - On Wednesdays through April 3, the Cape Wildlife Center will present its annual Spring Lecture Series in Barnstable. On March 6 at 6:30 p.m., Jonathan Way, Ph.D. will present Wolf at the Door, a discussion of research on eastern coyote/coywolf ecology on Cape Cod.
Water Quality Exchange TOOL Webcast - On March 6 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., EPA will present a webcast on the Water Quality Exchange Tool (WQX), an online tool that provides a framework to share small water quality monitoring datasets over the internet. WQX provides a framework for users to upload and store data to EPA's STORET data warehouse and share water quality monitoring data online. For more information and to register, see the EPA website.
Research at the Reserve - On March 7, 14, and 21, the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve will host a free Research at the Reserve Coffee House Series, an informal evening learning about the cutting edge research happening at the reserve. Each session begins at 7:00 p.m. and coffee and snacks will be served. For more information see, the Reserve calendar.
Local Environmental Action Conference - On March 10, the Toxics Action Center and Massachusetts Climate Action Network will hold the Local Environmental Action Conference in Boston. This conference will feature workshops on energy efficiency, fracking, going coal free in New England, and others.
Rock Snot Conference - From March 12-13, the Invasive Species Action Network and Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel will hold the International Didymo Conference in Providence, Rhode Island. Didymo, also known as Rock Snot, is a freshwater invasive species that has raised worldwide concern due to its rapid spread across the United States. It has the potential to blanket streambeds in a thick mat, leading to a loss of habitat for fish and invertebrates, and make swimming and fishing undesirable. Able to spread through a single drop of water, Didymo is now present in some New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York river systems.
Stormwater Workshops - In March, the Massachusetts Stormwater Technology Evaluation Project will hold two Evaluating Stormwater Best Management Practices workshops to present eight years of research on the pollution removal effectiveness of traditional, proprietary, and Low Impact Development stormwater treatment systems. The March 14 session will be held at the MassDEP Southeast Regional Office in Lakeville and the March 22 session will be held at Cape Cod Community College in Barnstable. To register, e-mail Christine Odiaga at Christine.Odiaga@state.ma.us.
Whale Workshop for Teachers - From March 16-17, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, in partnership with the Museum Institute for Teaching Science, will host a workshop on whales for teachers in grades 3-6. This ten-hour workshop will introduce teachers to whale-related topics that can be used to teach concepts prescribed by Massachusetts science and mathematics frameworks. For details and to register, see the whaling museum website or contact Robert Rocha at rrocha@whalingmuseum.org.
Greenscaping Workshop - On March 16, Salem Sound Coastwatch will hold a free Greenscaping Workshop, Soak up the Rain and Slow the Flow, at the Danvers Public Library. Barbara Warren, Executive Director of Salem Sound Coastwatch, will discuss low impact development techniques to control yard flooding and poor drainage and prevent polluted rainwater runoff. Professional organic landscaper, Curtis Dragon, will show examples of local projects he has installed to resolve homeowners' water problems. Please RSVP to info@salemsound.org.
Field Guide Training Course - Starting March 26, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History will hold its annual Become a Museum Field Guide or Interpreter - 2013 Training Program. This year's course will consist of seven sessions—on Tuesdays, March 26-April 16, and on Saturdays, April 6-20. Field guides are trained to guide school groups in the spring and fall and lead tourists during the summer. For more information, contact Bud Ferris at bferris@cmnh.org or Barbara Knoss at bknoss@ccmnh.org.
Salem Sound Coastwatch Lecture Series - Through April, Salem Sound Coastwatch will hold free monthly Underwater in Salem Sound lectures at Marblehead's Abbot Public Library at 7:00 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month. The March 27 lecture is called Salt Marshes Under Siege.
Marine Science Lectures - In 2013, the Northeastern University Marine Science Center is continuing its series of monthly marine science lectures through March. On March 19, Dr. Susan Solomon, Professor of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will present Something for Everyone about Climate Change and the Reasons for Climate Gridlock. These lectures are free and open to the public. Lectures are at 7:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m.
National Adaptation Forum - From April 2-4, the National Adaptation Forum: Action Today for a Better Tomorrow will be held in Denver, Colorado. This first forum will focus on climate change adaptation and state-of-the art adaptation practices and will offer professional development training, individual presentations, and peer networking.
Massachusetts Marine Educators Conference - On April 6, the Massachusetts Marine Educators will hold its 37th Annual Meeting and Conference, The Global Ocean, in the Redfield Building at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. For more information, contact Erin Hobbs at egordon20@comcast.net or Carolyn Sheild at csheild@cn.com.
Global Marine Renewable Energy Conference - From April 10-11, the sixth annual Global Marine Renewable Energy Conference will be held in Washington, DC. This conference will explore how to create a more sustainable energy future with a diverse power generation portfolio that includes marine renewable energy technologies. Expert panelists will discuss their strategic visions, near-term objectives, and challenges faced with deploying these innovative technologies
Climate Change Adaptation Program - On April 11, the Environmental Business Council (EBC) will present Adaptation - Planning for Resiliency in Boston. Recent storms have brought long-overdue attention to the planning needs to adjust to sea level rise, warmer temperatures, and climate change. The second of a two-part series of EBC climate change programs on adaptation will focus on mitigation and actions to take to increase resiliency.
NEERS Spring Meeting - From April 11-13, the New England Estuarine Research Society (NEERS) will hold its Spring 2013 Meeting in Portland, Maine. Meeting presentations will be on a variety of topics related to estuaries and coastal environments.
Stormwater Management in New England - On April 19, Law Seminars International will present a Stormwater Management in New England seminar in Boston. This one-day, intensive seminar will focus on the legal, policy, and practical issues for stormwater management in New England. Experienced representatives of federal, state, and local governments, consultants, and legal practitioners from throughout New England will discuss and provide practical suggestions to tackle a multitude of stormwater challenges.
Wednesday Walks - On Wednesdays through March, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History will hold a series of walks with naturalist Connie Boyce. For details, see the museum calendar.
Summer Science School - In July and August, the Waquoit Bay Reserve Foundation sponsors a Science School for students entering grades 2-9. Each session is one week and children are permitted to attend one session.
MEES Conference - On March 6, the Massachusetts Environmental Education Society (MEES) will hold its 2013 conference, Strengthening Communities: Branching Out, Reaching In, at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. Join fellow environmental educators and others who are dedicated to providing experiences that educate, excite, and commit all generations to conserve the environment and help them become responsible stewards.
Solutions to Nitrogen Pollution - On March 6, the Buzzards Bay Coalition will kick off its free Decision Maker Workshop Series at the Coalition headquarters in New Bedford. This three-part workshop series is focused on nitrogen pollution and will include site visits, lectures, and discussions.
Cape Cod Natural History Conference - On March 9, the MassAudubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary will hold the 18th annual Cape Cod Natural History Conference at Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable. This full-day conference will feature presenters from environmental organizations across Cape Cod speaking on a diversity of natural history topics.
Sea Rovers Clinic - From March 9-10, the Boston Sea Rovers will hold the 2013 Sea Rovers Clinic in Danvers. Each year, the clinic is held to increase the awareness and appreciation of the marine environment with a focus on diving. The 2013 Clinic will include more than 40 daytime seminars, workshops, an international film festival, and a large display of dive equipment and services in New England.
Environmental Biologist Conference - From March 20-22, the New England Association of Environmental Biologists (NEAEB) will hold its 37th annual meeting in Lake Placid, New York. NEAEB 2013 is a three-day conference that provides a forum for presenting current work and research on pressing environmental issues relevant to the region.
Benthic Ecology Meeting - From March 20-23, the 42nd annual Benthic Ecology Meeting will be held in Savannah, Georgia. This meeting is one of the largest scientific meetings for marine biologists in the United States and has historically provided a venue for graduate and undergraduate students to present their work and interact with established researchers in all areas of marine biology and ecology.
Land Conservation Conference - On March 23, The Trustees of Reservations, the Putnam Conservation Institute, and the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition will hold the 23rd Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference, What Is a Green Future Worth? From Rural Landscapes to City Parks, in Worcester. This annual, day-long event provides land trust board members, staff, volunteers, and municipal commission members with information, skills, and connections for effective land conservation.
Forum on Socioeconomic Research in Coastal Systems - From March 24-26, the Center for Natural Resource Economics and Policy will hold the 4th National Forum on Socioeconomic Research in Coastal Systems: Challenges of Natural Resource Economics & Policy in New Orleans, Louisiana. This triennial forum focuses on the opportunities and challenges of socioeconomic research in the development and evaluation of coastal resource restoration and management.
National Hurricane Conference - On March 25-28, the 2013 National Hurricane Conference will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana. The primary goal of this conference is to improve hurricane preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation to save lives and property. In addition, the conference serves as a national forum for federal, state, and local officials to exchange ideas and recommend new policies to improve emergency management.
National Working Waterfronts and Waterways Symposium - From March 25-28, the National Working Waterfronts & Waterways Symposium will be held in Tacoma, Washington. This third national symposium will focus on issues faced by working waterfronts throughout the United States.
Coastal Geotools 2013 - From March 25-28, Coastal Geotools 2013 will be held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This bi-annual conference focuses on the technical information needs of the nation's coastal programs. The 2013 conference will focus on building the Digital Coast, a web platform that provides access to geospatial data, tools, and technical training.
Climate Ready Water Utilities Webinar Series - Through April, EPA's Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative will hold a series of twice-monthly webinars on CRWU tools and resources for the water sector, which includes drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities. These 45-60 minute webinars will assist the water sector in developing a better understanding of climate change, managing impacts, and creating adaptation strategies.
Boating Safety Course - Through May 28, the Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) will offer Boat Massachusetts , a free, state and nationally approved boating safety course for boaters age 12 and older, which concentrates on the equipment and operating guidelines needed to enjoy boating in a safe and responsible way. All graduates ages 12-15 will receive a safety certificate that allows operation of a motorboat without adult supervision, as required by state law. All graduates ages 16-17 will also be allowed to operate a personal watercraft (jet ski, wave runner, etc.).
Uncover More of MORIS on a Small Screen - When using MORIS—the Massachusetts Ocean Resource Information System—on a laptop or a computer with a small screen, it's possible that you may not be seeing all of the top menu toolbar. To find out, look to the far right of the toolbar (which is located along the top of the map window) for the "Help" icon (a question mark). If it's there, no adjustment is necessary. If you don't see it, accessing the hidden part of the toolbar is easy. First, maximize your browser window by clicking the "Maximize" button (the one with a rectangle in the upper right corner of your browser, positioned between the " " and the "X" buttons). If that doesn't bring the hidden icons into view, place your cursor on the vertical divider between the map and the "Available Data Layers" column. (You are in the right spot when the cursor looks this <-||->.) Drag the divider to the right until all of obscured icons come into view to put all of MORIS at your disposal. (Dragging the divider to the left creates more room for viewing the Data Layers and Legend.)
Environmental Education Awards - EEA is now accepting applications for the 2013 Secretary Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education. All K-12 Massachusetts schools are eligible for cash awards for outstanding environmental and energy education projects. Winners will be notified in April and invited to attend a formal award ceremony at the State House. To apply, see the EEA website. Applications are due by March 22.
National Ground Water Awareness Week - March 10-16 is National Ground Water Awareness Week, the National Ground Water Association's effort to highlight the value of this natural resource. Groundwater is important to everyone and there are many things you can do to protect it—from proper management of household hazardous substances to septic system maintenance. For more information, check out the National Groundwater Awareness Week website.
Flood Safety Awareness Week - March 18-22 is Flood Safety Awareness Week, the National Weather Service's effort to highlight some of the many ways floods can occur, the hazards associated with floods, and what can be done to save lives and property.
Gulf of Maine Council Award Nominations - The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment is seeking nominations for its annual Visionary, Longard, Susan Snow-Cotter Leadership, Industry, and Sustainable Communities Awards. Visionary Awards will be presented to one individual and one organization in each state and province bordering the Gulf. The Longard Award will be presented to an outstanding volunteer within the Gulf watershed. The Susan Snow-Cotter Award will recognize a coastal management professional who exemplifies outstanding leadership or exceptional mentoring in the Gulf of Maine watershed. The Industry Award will go to a business that has shown leadership in efforts to improve the well being of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem. The Sustainable Communities Award will go to a community of group within a community that exemplifies a sustainable environment and economy. Submit nomination forms by March 30 through the Council website.
2013 Nickerson Fellowship - The Nickerson Conservation Fellowship Committee is soliciting proposals from self-directed, qualified individuals whose work will contribute to the knowledge of natural and cultural resources within the Cape Cod National Seashore. Proposals will be accepted for research in the broad areas of the natural and social sciences, including terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem processes, biotic and abiotic ecosystem components, cultural and natural resource management, and the political and social implications of resource protection and management. The 2013 fellowship will provide a $3,000 stipend as well as free housing. For details, including application information, see the fellowship application. The application deadline is March 31.
Science Without Borders Challenge - The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is seeking entries for the Science Without Borders Challenge. Students, ages 14-19, are asked to submit videos (maximum of five minutes) that discuss how vital oceans are to human existence. Entries are due by April 2.
EPA Smart Growth Awards - EPA is seeking applications for the 2013 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. This award recognizes communities that use the principles of smart growth to create better places. For more information, see the EPA website. Applications are due by April 12.
Nick Winter Memorial Scholarship Fund - The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) and the ASFPM Foundation will grant a $2,000 scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year to a full-time college junior or senior or graduate student currently enrolled in a field related to floodplain/stormwater management. For details see, the ASFPM website. Applications are due by April 20.
Marine Art Contest - Massachusetts Marine Educators and Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary are seeking entries from students in grades K-12 for the 2013 Marine Art Contest. The 2013 theme is Amazing Ocean Creatures of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Entries are due by April 25.