CSO Newsletter
The Coastal States Organization represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories & Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resource issues.
Spotlight on Coastal Management
Deploying green infrastructure solutions to stem runoff and safeguard Puerto Rico’s corals 
The Puerto Rico Coastal Management Program used CZMA § 306 funds to address sedimentation of a nearshore coral ecosystem that is critical to the local economy.[1] The project focused on Playa Tamarindo, a popular beach destination for locals and tourists on Puerto Rico’s Culebra Island. The beach area is prone to sediment and pollution runoff issues. Bare soils cause sediment runoff, while cars driven on the beach pose pollution concerns for the local waterway that is part of NOAA’s Habitat Blueprint designation. Project partners developed a plan using green infrastructure solutions to reduce runoff, installing plantings to vegetate bare soil and pervious parking to help absorb some of the excess water. After green infrastructure installation, the team utilized OpenNSPECT software to evaluate the effectiveness of this restoration activity on reducing nonpoint pollution and sediment loadings. Initial studies show that overall sediment loads to Playa Tamarindo's marine habitats have decreased, thus reducing the impacts to local coral communities.

[1] Digital Coast, Applying Green Infrastructure to Stem Runoff and Safeguard Puerto Rico’s Corals .   https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/stories/playa-tamarindo.html

  • Photo Credit: PR CMP
Find more information on the work being done by the State Coastal Zone Management Programs on CSO's Publication page: www.coastalstates.org/csopublications/
In the States and Regions
East Coast and Caribbean
Auction of offshore wind parcels draws record $405M in bids
A lease auction of about 390,000 acres off the coast of Massachusetts for the development of offshore wind energy has drawn a record $405 million in winning bids.

If fully developed, the three parcels could generate about 4.1 gigawatts of energy — enough to power nearly 1.5 million homes. Read more.
West Coast and Pacific
Discover American Samoa With NOAA Podcast Episode 22
Troy Kitch hosts the episode, and his interviewee is the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation and Coastal Zone Management programs in American Samoa site liaison Hideyo Hattori.

The podcast offers an interesting and insightful view of the underwater life of American Samoa, especially how the corals around the island are some of the healthiest in US waters.

One of the interesting topics in the podcast is the resilience shown by corals around the island, which bleach on an annual basis and recover, and how scientists hope that by studying these corals, they can gain insight into how this happens, and how it can help other coral reefs around the world. Read more.
Gulf of Mexico
Rural lands between Fort Myers, Clewiston targeted for pollution control
The state is moving forward with a plan to cut down on the amount of algae-feeding nutrients from rural areas and farms east of the Fort Myers area. 

Called Basin Action Management Plans, or BMAPs, the plans target pollution with the goal of improving water quality in systems like the Caloosahatchee River.  Read more.
Great Lakes
Grant secures county's Ottawa Sands park
A Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant was awarded to Ottawa County to purchase the Ottawa Sands property in Ferrysburg, cementing plans to enhance recreational opportunities at the unique site. 

Ottawa County originally requested $4.2 million, but was able to reduce the ask to about $3.8 million, which was approved by the Trust Fund Board on Wednesday. Read more.
Announcements
Beginning on December 14, 2018 , the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA-CW) is seeking public input on the development of implementation guidance for various provisions contained in the Water Resources Development Act of 2018 (WRDA 2018), signed into law on October 23, 2018.
Additionally, ASA-CW is seeking public input on the development or revision of guidance on two provisions of the Water Resources, Reform and Development Act of 2014 and on three provisions of the Water Resources Development Act of 2016.
WRDA provides the Secretary of the Army with authorizations to address the Nation’s critical water resources infrastructure needs.
All comments will be reviewed and considered during the development of the implementation guidance.
Interested stakeholders may submit comments for a 60-day period that closes at midnight Tuesday, February 12, 2019.
Job Openings
The views expressed in articles referenced here are those of the authors and do not represent or reflect the views of CSO.  

If you have a news item or job posting to include in future CSO Newsletters, please send an email to: gwilliams@coastalstates.org with a subject line: "Newsletter Content". Please include the information to be considered in the body of the email. 
 
Please note: CSO reserves final decision regarding published newsletter content and may not use all information submitted.
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