January 26, 2010

A National Framework for Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning

In June 2009, President Obama established an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. Led by CEQ, the Task Force was given 90 days to develop recommendations for a comprehensive national policy that protects ocean and Great Lakes ecosystems, including a coordination and implementation strategy. Within 180 days, the Task Force was to develop, with appropriate public input, a recommended framework for effective coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP), which should be a comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based approach. In response to this charge, the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force issued its Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning on December 9, 2009. The Interim Framework lays out national goals and guiding principles for CMSP and creates a process to develop regional CMSP at the large marine ecosystem scale. It identifies essential elements of the planning process and of the regional coastal and marine spatial plans. The Interim Framework also lays out a timeline for achieving its objectives, with the goal of having initial plans and implementation started in all regions by mid-2015. It is open for public comment through Friday, February 12, 2010.

This seminar brough together a panel of CMSP experts from federal government, the environmental NGO community, and the private sector to discuss the Interim Framework. The expert panel provided an overview of the Interim Framework and the role of agencies in CMSP development and implementation. We learned more about how this approach could affect future management of ocean resources and the next steps needed to achieve a national coastal and marine spatial planning framework.

Speakers:
Michael Weiss, Deputy Associate Director for Ocean and Coastal Policy, CEQ
Terry Holman, Ocean and Coastal Activities Coordinator, Department of the Interior
Paul Sandifer, Senior Scientist for Coastal Ecology, NOAA
Sandra Whitehouse, Senior Advisor, The Ocean Conservancy
Karen Hansen, Principal, Beveridge & Diamond LLP

Moderator:
Jordan Diamond, Assistant Director, Ocean Program, Environmental Law Institute

Downloads:
Terry Holman, PowerPoint
Paul Sandifer, PowerPoint
Sandra Whitehouse, PowerPoint
Seminar Summary
Mp3 Recording (Large File)

Click here for more information on ELI’s Ocean Series
The 2009 Ocean Seminar Series is made possible by generous support from the Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation

Attendees are invited to bring a brown-bag lunch.