Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council Meeting Monday, August 4, 2014 3:00-4:00 pm CDT Additional Information
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PRIORITY ISSUE TEAM CONFERENCE CALLS:
Nutrients Full Team Meeting Tues Aug 26 10am - 11am CDT
Resilience - Communication & Toolkit Working Group Tues Aug 5 10am CDT
To contact Team Coordinators, see Quick Links below.
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MAPPING RESTORATION PROJECTS |
GOMA has been working hard on a map that will allow users to view restoration projects as well as research activities in progress across the Gulf. Click here to see the site! Currently, the site contains projects from GOMA, GoMRI, NFWF, and early NRDA, with more to be added in the future. Coming soon are projects from states, Sea Grant, and National Academy of Sciences.
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Come See Us!
We love visitors! With our new
sign out front, you can't miss us. Stop by 1151 Robinson Street in Ocean Springs, Mississippi and we'll show you around.
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Stakeholders Develop Priority Actions for Comprehensive Gulfwide Monitoring
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In early July, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance hosted the second Gulf Observation and Monitoring Workshop to develop and prioritize objectives for Observations and Monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico. Approximately 40 people attended the meeting at the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve with a goal to create a collaborative community that agrees on data sharing and priority funding opportunities. Participants brainstormed activity lists for each primary objective and prioritized those actions in a voting activity. The group discussed developing a white paper to document the process and overall actions necessary to move forward as a collaborative. To stay up-to-date on collaborative Gulfwide monitoring efforts, contact GOMA to be added to the listserv.
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Gulf of Mexico Alliance Welcomes New Priority Issue Team Coordinators
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The Gulf of Mexico Alliance Coastal Community Resilience Team is pleased to introduce Kristen Holley and Daphne Viverette who will assist the team in coordination. Rhonda Price, former coordinator, is now the State Lead for the team in Mississippi. To learn more about the team and participate in their programs, visit our website.
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Gulf Coast Vulnerability Assessment
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The Gulf Coast Vulnerability Assessment (GCVA) is evaluating the vulnerability of mangroves, barrier islands, oyster reefs, and tidal emergent marshes and their associated species to climate change, sea level rise, and urbanization across the northern U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The project originated out of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance's Habitat Conservation and Restoration Priority Issue Team and is being spearheaded by the four Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) along the Gulf Coast. Experts are needed to inform the assessment. Results from the GCVA will be used to inform Gulf-wide adaptation strategies and help prioritize areas where more research is needed.
The initial phase of the GCVA is evaluating a habitat or species that has been studied or managed. Experts are requested to complete an assessment template. More information about participation can be found here. Visit the GCVA group located on this LCC website to see a map of how the Gulf has been divided for this project and a list of the species and habitats being evaluated. You can also contact Amanda Watson, the GCVA Coordinator, by email amandaw@gri.msstate.edu
or phone 228-688-3746.
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Toshiba America Foundation Grants - Applications from teachers who are passionate about making science and mathematics more engaging for their students. See the website for complete details.
Florida's Wildlife Legacy Initiative - Grants relative to data gaps, marine specific issues, climate adaptation, and community-based oyster restoration and living shorelines. Deadline is July 28.
MASGC Resilience Research Funding Opportunity - A special request for proposal one- or two-year projects that address resilient communities and economies along the Mississippi and Alabama coasts. Deadline is August 7.
Melinda Gray Ardia Environmental Foundation Grants - K-12 teachers are invited to apply for grants to develop or implement environmental curricula that integrate hands-on ecology exercises into the classroom. Pre-proposal deadline is September 14, 2014.
North American Wetlands Conservation Act Grants - Provides matching grants to organizations/individuals who have developed partnerships for wetlands conservation projects in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to benefit wetlands-associated migratory birds and other wildlife. Deadline is November 7.
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REGIONAL INITIATIVES Gulf Restoration Updates
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RESTORE Council: The Gulf Restoration Council approved a proposal submission and evaluation process. A proposal submission window will open next month. To read the full story, stay up to date with the topic, and get additional materials go here.
Alabama: The AL Gulf Coast Recovery Council will meet Monday, August 4, 2014, and hold a public meeting from 3:00-4:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Five Rivers Tensaw Theater, Alabama's Delta Resource Center, 30945 Five Rivers Blvd., Spanish Fort, AL. For information regarding the online project suggestion portal go here and click on "Submit Project Suggestions." The ADCNR will provide an update once either of these Councils make an announcement regarding a request for project suggestions. The online portal allows for the entry of suggestions for future consideration.
Mississippi: Follow the link to sign up for for the latest news on restoration planning and the MDEQ at http://www.restore.ms/.
Florida: FDEP has improved the navigation for users to the FL Deepwater Horizon restoration website. Responding to public's request for more information on projects being submitted, the improvements allow users to view and download the full project submittals.In addition, the Department has created an interactive map of Deepwater Horizon restoration projects that have been submitted. Public notices, outreach and education activities are available on the FDEP calendar. Check out Florida updates here.
Louisiana: With an understanding that the use of restoration funds will be guided by specific criteria, Louisiana is committed to maximizing its investment in oil spill recovery activities by implementing restoration projects that are consistent with the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan to the extent possible. In addition to submitting project ideas during the public meetings, restoration projects may also be submitted electronically to coastal@la.gov. Stay up to date on Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan restoration efforts by visiting CPRA's site. Information on Louisiana's NRDA restoration can be found here.
Texas: TCEQ held its first RESTORE Advisory Board meeting in October 2013. The Texas restoration web site is under construction ( www.restorethetexascoast.org) and will provide comprehensive information soon.
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National Academy of Sciences' Gulf Research Program
Applications are being accepted for the 2015 Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program. Applications are due September 1, 2014. To follow the NAS Gulf Research Program and register for updates, go to their website. Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRDA: The NRDA Trustees have released, " Assess Plan Restore." It is a guide to projects and planning contained in the Final Phase III Early Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. Get a copy of the plan. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund: In early 2013, a U.S. District Court approved two plea agreements resolving the criminal cases against BP and Transocean which arose from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The agreements direct a total of $2.544 billion to NFWF to fund projects benefiting the natural resources of the Gulf Coast that were impacted by the spill. Read more about NFWF projects here.
North American Conservation Wetlands Act Fund:
As part of the criminal plea agreement involving the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, this Fund will receive $100,000,000. The purpose is for wetlands restoration and conservation benefiting migratory bird species and other wildlife affected by the oil spill. Click here to learn more. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a "Vision for a Healthy Gulf of Mexico Watershed" and it can be found here.
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Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Update
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Save the date for RFP-V; the anticipated release date is mid-November 2014.
The GoMRI 2015 Conference planning is underway. A call for abstracts will open August 11, 2014. The conference is scheduled for February 16-19, 2015 at the Westin Galleria Hotel in Houston, TX. Get more information.
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