NEWS

Welcome Kevin Decker

Posted by & filed under News, Washington Sea Grant.

We would like to welcome Kevin Decker to the Washington Sea Grant Marine Spatial Planning team as the Coastal Outreach Specialist. In the past, Kevin served on the Board of Directors for the Idaho Wildlife Federation and sat as an advisory council member for the Treasure Valley Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan. Kevin has a background in economics and business with a BA from Boise State University, and Masters degrees in Environmental Management from the University of Maryland and in Applied Economics from the University of Idaho. He is currently completing his PhD in Environmental Science at the University of Idaho.
 
 
Kevin Decker
 
 
On June 1, Kevin started working for Washington Sea Grant to lead stakeholder engagement activities and provide support for public meetings in Washington’s coastal communities. Kevin will provide an update on the MSP process and activities at each meeting. You might even see Kevin distributing outreach materials and answering questions about MSP at your local events and festivals.

Feel free to contact Kevin with a welcome message!

Surfrider Foundation launches recreational use survey along Washington coast

Posted by & filed under News.

The Surfrider Foundation launched a survey to document the recreational use of Washington’s coast to assist with future planning of Washington’s coast. The study will document the location and type of public recreation from Ilwaco to Port Angeles and provide better estimates of the value of recreation to the state’s economy. The survey aims to collect data for numerous recreational uses by the public including kayaking, surfing, birding, camping, and clamming.

The survey, funded by the Washington State Department of Natural resources and private foundations, is one of several other projects supported by the state to assist with the development of a Marine Spatial Plan.

Take the survey
Questions? Contact Casey Dennehy at cdennehy@surfrider.org

Human uses data from NOAA/BOEM workshops

Posted by & filed under News.

We are excited to announce that the Human Uses Participatory Mapping data is up and running on the MSP mapping application! The workshops were used to collect spatial data on the full range of human uses of the ocean through consultation with use experts, community stakeholders, and cultural use practitioners.

Through the workshops and data products, the team created data to assist in understanding use patterns, hotspots, conflicts, and compatibilities of uses in the marine waters. The effort was lead by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Ocean Uses team with support from the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM).

 
View the full Ocean Uses Map Book.
View the data in the MSP mapping application.

Scoping Summary and Response to Comments

Posted by & filed under News.

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) released a Summary of SEPA Scoping and Response to Comments for developing a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) on Washington’s Pacific Coast. The scoping comment period lasted for 69 days and collected feedback from 45 individuals. Scoping helps define the scope of the project and issues to be analyzed under environmental review. Ecology released this summary document to highlight changes to the scope of the MSP and summarize comments received and responses.

The State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) is a process that informs agencies, applicants, and the public. Under SEPA, public agencies are required to evaluate the potential significant negative environmental impacts of a proposal prior to decision-making. In this case, SEPA is being used for a non-project evaluation of the development of a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) for Washington’s Pacific Coast. Under SEPA, ‘non-project’ proposals are plans that are not actual on-the-ground construction or modifications to the environment. The SEPA process was formally initiated by Ecology with the issuance of a Scoping Notice on July 16, 2013 with a comment period through September 23, 2013.

Download the Summary of SEPA Scoping and Response to Comments
Download the individual comment letters
 
 
 
 

RFP for Sector Analyses

Posted by & filed under RFP.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) on Sector Analyses issued by the Department of Natural Resoruces is now open. The subject and deliverables of the RFP are in the support of the development of the Marine Spatial Plan on Washington’s Coast.

Please review the document and encourage qualified persons or organizations to submit the appropriate materials to the RFP coordinator no later than 2pm on February 28, 2014. The contract will last from March 2014 through August 2015.

Download the Request for Proposals on Sector Analyses.

Public Comment Period Open for Pacific Coast Marine Spatial Plan

Posted by & filed under News.

The Washington Department of Ecology is seeking public comment regarding what elements should be covered in a marine spatial plan for the state’s 375 miles of ocean coastline. This includes feedback about the draft goals, objectives, boundaries as well as other scoping issues that should be included under a related environmental impact statement (EIS) for Washington’s Pacific Coast.

The EIS will evaluate the alternatives and potential significant adverse impacts associated with developing the marine spatial plan. The scoping document below provides important background, context, and draft proposed language to assist those wishing to provide comments. We strongly encourage those commenting to review the scoping document prior to preparing and submitting their comments.

Public Comment Scoping Document
SEPA Notice
Optional Comment Card (word)

Submit comments electronically at mspcomments@ecy.wa.gov by 5 pm, September 23, 2013.

Written comments may be mailed to: Department of Ecology, SEA Program, PO Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600

Welcome to our new Marine Spatial Planning Portal

Posted by & filed under News.

Welcome to our new public website for marine spatial planning in Washington, where you’ll find relevant information on the MSP planning process across the state, including news and updates, meeting notes, upcoming events, and links to other important information. As products are completed, you’ll find new resources and tools to support regional coastal and marine planning. Our decision-support tool will allow users to access and visualize data in interactive map system in an effort to provide stakeholders the opportunity to collaborate and better understand competing uses of the ocean. Our data portal will give planners access to datasets and complete metadata to support marine spatial planning. Several items are under development, so be sure to check for updates throughout the process.