USGS Focus Area on New England Coastal Ecosystems and Resources

USGS Focus Area on Northeastern Coastal Ecosystems and Resources
May 23, 2002 Meeting Minutes

USGS Planning Model (Dave Russ)

Shared Leadership
Integrated Interdisciplinary Science Planning
New and Enhanced Partnership

NE Coastal Ecosystem and Resources (NECER)

Science planning
Steering committee develops framework and solicits scientists’ bottom-up input
Balance Bureau Programs priorities and customer/stakeholder/partner needs
Regional priorities must support Bureau Program priorities
Mechanisms for funding:

Direct existing funding from Bureau Program Coordinators toward Regional effort
Direct new USGS funding toward NECER
Attract new reimbursable funds

NECER

Offshore and coastal geology

Sediment and contaminant distribution and fate
Sea floor mapping and characterization
Coastal erosion and sea level rise
Sediment transport and modeling

Hydrology

Water, nutrient, and contaminant fluxes
Water quality

Biology

Status and trends of wildlife populations
Ecotoxicology, fate, and effects of contaminants
Restoration ecology of coastal habitat
Risk assessment modeling

Existing collaboration

Lithochemical terrraine mapping w/NEDMAC
Urban Gradient Study Coastal Basin

NECER—Partnerships

DOI Bureau requirements
Gulf of Maine Council
Coastal America Program
National Coastal Monitoring Summit
State Agencies

NECER—Strategic Plan

Intermediate and Final outcomes

Goals we want to address: ex. Sustained ecosystems; hazards mitigation; habitat restoration

Activities and Measurements
Resources Needed

Charge to steering committee

Create integrated USGS Science Plan
Coordinate with NEDMAC
Determine topical scope and Geographic extent of Focus Area
Identify primary issues and prioritize objectives
Prepare Implementation Plan
Develop plan, schedule, and locations for workshops to develop Science Plan
Consider timing of involving partners and Program Coordinators
Complete Science Plan draft by May 31, 2003; Develop timetable for intermediate components, such as workshops

Other issues raised during Dave Russ’s presentation

Science Coordinator

Will be funded 50/50 with Eastern Region and appropriate Associate Director

NE Science coordinator will (may) be funded by GD

Will the position have a budget?

Need for additional outside (new) funding

NEDMAC PERSPECTIVE (Bob Lent)

NEDMAC History

Formed about 10 years ago

Included four NE DC

Purpose

Facilitate interaction
Oversee common costs/tasks

Reformed last month to include:

Four District Chiefs
NMD Rep
Conte Fish Lab Office Chief
GD Coastal Program Chief
State Water Chief from RI

NEDMAC perspective

Define NEDMAC role and authority

Conte Fish Lab (and other BRD offices)
NEDMAC and steering committee
NEDMAC and Science Coordinator
NEDMAC and Rex

Define study area – Mid Atlantic, Northeast, New York, Long Island and Gulf of Maine
Define topic

Other comments

Separate New England Focus Area from “Coastal Ecosystem and Resources”

Carefully define topic and then study area
Don’t let political boundaries dictate decisions, let science define the focus
A coastal initiative is different for each of us
Other projects could have differing involvement and geographic definitions

Look at successful projects, for example The Chesapeake Bay
Facilitate rapid and open communication

Other meetings and workshops (attachments)

Need to include other unlisted workshops
Council for the Marine Environment
Gulf of Maine Council
RARGOM

Has 5-year plan for research in GOM, promoting research of high priority
WHOI, UMass Dartmouth, UMass Boston, Dartmouth Coll, NMFS, USGS-CMP, EPA Res Lab, GOM Aquarium, Bost Aquarium, Can Fisheries Ctr (Halifax), ME, NH, MA

GOMOOS
National Research Council (NOAA)

National Research Strategy Addressing the Causes and Effects of Coastal Nutrient Pollution (Thurs. May 30, 2002, Weiskel)
Coastal Eutrophication Committee (Clean Coastal Waters)

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center—Coastal Issues Seminar
EPA Coastal Monitoring Summit (Keith Robinson)
Park Service Natural Resource Challenge (Vital Signs Monitoring Program)
CWAP – National Coastal Condition Report

DISCUSSION: INTEGRATED SCIENCE

Common set of goals and issues
Science Questions (attachment)
Not on our lists

Harmful Algal Blooms
Aquaculture
Biodiversity

Discuss and define focus area scope—geographic and topical

What are our products/goals

Determine dominant stressors

Climate change
Urbanization
Eutrophication

Determine key measurements

Key drivers for topical and geographic boundaries
ERLT defined major science areas

Human health
Ecosystem health
Hazards
Urban sprawl

Geographic limits

Northeast focus area that includes Long Island Sound
Absolute boundaries will be determined by science
Need for communication with Mid Atlantic Focus Area

Topical focus

Use existing lists of primary high-priority topics
Justify this list by summarizing past discussions (previous workshops, existing workplans from other groups)
Catagorize (group) topics into larger issues such as:

Water, nutrient, contaminant fluxes
Ecosystem response
Shoreline/climate change
Urbanization

Prioritize large issues to determine which to address first within focus area. Note that all issues are important and should be addressed within some time frame (15 years?)
Identify USGS scientists
Identify appropriate high-level stakeholders/partners such as Science Coordinators from NPS, NOAA, USACE and State reps from EPA

Steering Committee Chair

Position will remain until plan is completed
May 2003
Co-chairs for first three months (June-August): Marilyn ten Brink and Hilary Neckles
Co-chairs for next three months (Sept-Nov): Don Cahoon and Mike Bothner

Communication Strategy

NE Coastal Focus Area email alias (Dave Russ)
NEDMAC (Bob Lent and Ellen Mecray)
Program Officers/Coordinators and Center Chiefs (Do not have a plan for communication)

Developing a Science Plan

This group is further along than other focus areas because of the amount of previous workgroups
Workshop

Engaging partners
Program coordinators
Including USGS Scientists

How to limit number
Every program and every Cost Center Chief could select representatives?

Funding issues?

Constituent-based research must be the way of the future (Chip Groat address to NRP annual meeting, May 2002)

Workshop

Timing January 2003
Plan May 2003
Location URI Marine Center

Actions

Create website (Maine District)
Compile list of existing workshops and reports

Region
National

Identify USGS members of other standing committees and other activities

Get USGS member on National Estuary Restoration Council
Identify national and regional entities doing work of interest that USGS/NE does not have rep

Develop list of USGS staff residing in or working in NE
Compile map of existing programs in USGS that deal with Coastal issues
Select time and location of workshop
Draft strawdog issue document for use in developing Science Plan

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
Questions/Comments:WEBMASTER
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