Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) Presented to the 62 nd Annual Interstate Seafood Seminar Bob Connell New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Water Monitoring & Standards

What is the Council’s Goal To successfully address the challenges facing our coastal waters, the Governors of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia have committed to a new comprehensive, regional approach, creating the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean. Our five states will work to maintain and improve the health of our ocean and coastal resources, and ensure that they continue to contribute to the high quality of life and economic vitality of our region’s communities well into the future.

Priorities Our 5 States will work together to develop a set of shared actions to address these priorities: Protection of important habitats and sensitive and unique offshore areas on a regional scale. Promote improvements in the region’s coastal water quality as a necessary focal point for regional action. A regional approach to support the sustainable development of renewable energy in offshore areas. Prepare the region’s coastal communities for the impacts of climate change on ocean and coastal resources.

Habitat Secure federal action to protect key habitats and identify emerging threats. Lead: New York Improve data sharing and management to address critical information gaps and reduce redundancy across data-collection efforts. Lead: Virginia Secure reliable funding and other resources to sustain regional and federal coordination efforts. Lead: Virginia

Water Quality Call for changes to federal legislation that will help to improve water quality and to re-engage the federal government in addressing water quality issues. Lead: Maryland. Identify key water quality and ecosystem assessment regional information gaps, and develop strategies to address them. Lead: New Jersey Identify region-wide efforts to control marine debris and floatables. Lead: New Jersey. Explore non-point source pollution as a regional water quality issue needing further coordination. Lead: Maryland.

Offshore Renewable Energy Remove unnecessary Federal & State barriers to the appropriate development of offshore renewable energy development. Lead: Delaware. Proactively investigate and provide for future needs, funding options, best practices, and innovative research and development. Lead: Delaware. Integrate renewable energy siting concerns into the data management and comprehensive offshore mapping effort underway for the MARCO habitat protection goal.

Climate Change Work with the federal government to promote adaptation and, where appropriate, integrate climate change and sea level rise planning measures into federal policies and programs. Lead: New Jersey. Address data gaps for assessing regional vulnerability. Lead: New Jersey and Delaware Facilitate a climate change and sea level rise information exchange between States. Lead: Maryland. Develop consistent communications and messaging to convey the information on climate change impacts to the public. Lead: Delaware.

Stakeholder Conference Mid-Atlantic Ocean Conservation: Building Partnerships to Take Action December 9-10, 2009, New York City Sponsored by the MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL COUNCIL ON THE OCEAN A Partnership in Ocean Conservation

MARCO Summit A Partnership in Ocean Conservation December , 2009 Attendees by StateAttendees by Interest

Greatest Concern

Water Quality Opportunities 1.Linking water quality to habitat restoration and protection: sea grass and shellfish beds (53%) 2.Redefining standards and indicators to include both human and biological health criteria (41%) 3.Improve storm water and waste water management and infrastructure (35%)

Water Quality Opportunities 4. MARCO actions: legislation, public educational opportunities, influence state coordination, link stakeholders, data sharing, build capacity, portal for information sharing, leverage resources (28%)

Water Quality Challenges 1.Effectively addressing threats such as invasives, sea level rise, and marine debris (plastics); aging sewerage systems and CSOs to coastal and ocean water quality (46%) 2. Addressing lagoon and coastal bays as well as ocean waters and land-based sources of pollution to them (36%) 3. Enforcement of water quality regulations; use of existing authorities (32%) 4. Building capacity/consensus locally for smart development and infrastructure changes (32%) 5. Better and more consistent monitoring, assessment, data collection and analysis (site specific and regional) (29%)

MACOORA Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (MACOORA) One of eleven regional associations in the United States focused on ocean observing. Represents a partnership of marine and estuarine data providers and users from state and federal agencies, private industry, non- governmental institutions and academia.

State & Federal Representatives MARCO Water Quality NJ – Leslie McGeorge, NJ Dept. Env. Protection NY – Kenneth Smith, NY Dept of State DE – John Schneider, DE Dept. Water Resources MD – Bruce Michael, MD DNR VA - Ellen Gillinsky, VA DEQ EPA R2 – Janice Rollwagan & Mario DelVicario EPA R3 – Renee Searfoss USGS – Eric Vowinkel NOAA – Rob Magnien MACOORA – Judith Krauthamer & Bob Tudor

For more information: Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Region Association Mid-Atlantic Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System