Building Partnerships for a Healthier Gulf
e-Newsletter
May 2016
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Gulf of Mexico Alliance 2016 All Hands Meeting
Teams will meet in just two weeks
The annual GOMA All Hands meeting is just two weeks away and there is limited space available, so be sure to register here if you plan to attend! The hotel room block at the Hilton is full, but another room block has been secured at the nearby Hampton Inn & Suites: Hampton Room Block - Use code GHA  or dial 225-382-2100 Deadline = June 3, 2016
SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, June 14
Joint Gulf Landscape Conservation Cooperatives Meeting
Coastal Impact and Assistance Workshop Summit
Monitoring Community of Practice Meeting
Sea Grant Oil Spill Outreach Workshop
Wednesday, June 15
Opening Plenary
Priority Issue Team Meetings
Tools Café
Welcome Reception
Thursday, June 16
Priority Issue Team Meetings
Cross-Team Initiative Meetings
GoMRI Documentary Film
Friday, June 17
Priority Issue Team Meetings
Cross-Team Initiative Meetings
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Thank you to our 2016 sponsors!
Statoil
Gulf Sea Grant Program * NOAA * EPA Gulf of Mexico Program
Ocean Conservancy * OTT Hydromet * EFD * The Nature Conservancy * GOMURC
Mote Marine * Chevron * NGI * Allen Engineering
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Alliance Leadership Shifts to Texas
Texas takes over as new chair of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance
Commissioner Toby Baker, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, recently became the new management chair of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, taking an active lead on behalf of the State of Texas. This is the fourth leadership change for the regional partnership since its formation in 2004. Texas takes over following a productive tenure by Alabama's Phillip Hinesley, Coastal Section Chief of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The state leadership change became official at the Alliance Management Team meeting in early May.
The role of the Alliance Management Team is to act on behalf of the U.S. Gulf States to oversee Alliance direction, addressing the regional issues identified as priorities by all five Gulf States. As Texas takes leadership, the Alliance will host their 12th annual All Hands meeting on June 14-17, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
It will be the challenge of Texas to help guide the partnership to implement actions identified in the up-coming Governors' Action Plan III for Healthy and Resilient Coasts. Commissioner Baker will work closely with Executive Director, Laura Bowie, to establish an overall vision for the partnership and a foundation of support for the needs of the Priority Issue Teams.
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Alliance Releases New Ten Year Summary Report
Nearly 150 projects dedicated to the Gulf of Mexico
In case you missed it, earlier this month the Alliance released a Ten Year Summary Report that details major projects accomplished by the Alliance's six Priority Issue Teams between 2004 and 2014. It also touches on historical milestones for the organization.
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Deepwater Horizon Assessment
Samples now available to the scientific community
During and after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, natural resource trustee agencies collected thousands of samples across broad regions of the northern Gulf of Mexico. These samples supported the spill response and the natural resource damage assessment (NRDA). The case has been settled and the NRDA is now complete. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are making remainders of these samples available to the scientific community. Samples available include tissue from plants and animals, water and sediment, and oiled materials among others.
Availability is anticipated for July 2016. Information about the samples may be found on the NOAA DIVER site. To inquire and request specific samples, please send an email to dwhsamples@noaa.gov. Requests must be received no later than June 10, 2016.
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Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy
Website offers interactive Story Map
Six Landscape Conservation Cooperatives across the Southeast have joined forces with the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a website for the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy. SECAS is bringing together people and organizations to design and achieve a network of landscapes and seascapes that supports thriving fish and wildlife populations and improved quality of life for people across the southeastern United States and the Caribbean. Visit secassoutheast.org/ to learn more.
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 Events
Scroll through our June events calendar for these and other activities. Send in your workshops, webinars, meetings, conferences, and other notables for inclusion on our website events page. June 1st - 3rd Louisiana State of the Coast, find more information here.
June 7th - 9th Capitol Hill Oceans Week, learn more. June 15th - 17th Gulf of Mexico Alliance All Hands. June 25th - July 1 National Marine Educators Association 2016 Conference.
The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Training program has several workshops scheduled through the fall. These include Blue Carbon, Use of Native Grasses, and Invasive Species. See what they have scheduled here.
Looking Ahead
November 30th - December 1st Mississippi-Alabama Bays & Bayous Symposium.
December 10th - 15th Restore America's Estuaries 8th Annual Summit. February 6th - 9th, 2017 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017.
Gulf of Mexico Alliance
2016 All Hands Meeting
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
June 15 - 17, 2016
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Restoration Updates A Notice of Funding Availability: Spill Impact Component Project Grants is open. Applications for project funding will be accepted on a rolling basis. This information and all other Council activity is on their website RestoreTheGulf.gov.
States Alabama Follow other restoration activities with the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council (AGCRC) here.
Mississippi MDEQ is soliciting Restoration Engineering Services and Programmatic Construction Manager. The Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group is planning restoration activities for 2016/2017. To submit project ideas and learn about other activities, go to Making Mississippi Whole.
Florida The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) maintains a website complete with latest updates, resources, links, and newsletters, including an overview of Florida's response to the oil spill. They have a new map of funded projects. Each impacted county engages directly with their communities through the Gulf Consortium and the Florida Association of Counties. Contacts for each county can be found here.
Louisiana The State of Louisiana is represented by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) on state and RESTORE Council restoration activities. View all news, activities and calendar notices on the CPRA website. Texas Oil spill restoration information in Texas and related items can be found on the website www.restorethetexascoast.org. Centers of Excellence The five Gulf States Centers of Excellence:
Alabama Alabama Center of Excellence (ACE)
NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program Information related to the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program can be found here including the Science Plan Final version. Download their funding opportunities calendar. A 2016 funding competition is anticipated soon. National Academy of Sciences' (NAS) Gulf Research Program
The NAS Gulf Research Program Synthesis Grants full proposals are due June 22, 2016. Capacity Building Grants letters of intent are due July 13, 2016. To read more, go to the NAS Gulf Research Program website.
Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)
This month the NRDA Trustees approved Standard Operating Procedures for all future restoration. The NRDA Trustees will now begin implementation of the comprehensive restoration plan. The final plan and comprehensive NRDA information can found here.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund NFWF has supported 75 programs worth nearly $500 million. The NFWF website has information on all funded projects. NFWF has a map page that displays all of their programs worldwide. North American Conservation Wetlands Act Fund (NAWCA)
The US Fish and Wildlife Service maintains a website for NAWCA programs. Their 2016 grant cycle deadlines are now available. Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) The GoMRI final RFP VI is in development. It is anticipated for release October 2016. Learn more about GoMRI and their research.
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 Funding Opportunities
For a complete list of funding opportunities see our webpage. Selected opportunities:
EPA National Wetland Program Development Grants - Projects solicited develop or refine state/tribal/local government wetland programs as a whole, or individual components of those programs. The deadline is June 23, 2016.
FWS National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program - The primary goal of the NCWCG Program is the long-term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems. Projects can include acquisition of real property; restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal ecosystems; or, a combination of acquisition, restoration, and management. Search grants.gov for F16AS00089. The deadline is June 29, 2016.
NAS Gulf Research Program Capacity Building Grants - The intent is to strengthen the capacity of community networks and to enhance the impact of their work. Proposed projects should focus on networks that strive to use data, research findings, and scientific approaches to improve the environments and/or health and well-being of communities in coastal regions along the U.S. outer continental shelf. Letters of intent are due July 13, 2016 and full proposals are due September 14, 2016.
American Honda Foundation - Grant making that supports youth education with a specific focus on the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in addition to the environment. The next application deadline is August 1, 2016.
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 Open Comment Periods
EPA Newest Environmental Justice Strategy - EJ 2020 Action Agenda - is now available for public comment. Comments are due July 7, 2016.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has several regulation items open for comment. These include regulations addressing Red Grouper, Yellowtail Snapper, Red Snapper, Shrimp, and Charter Vessel reporting requirements among others. To view these, their status, and find information to make comments go to the Gulf Council's webpage Scoping through Implementation.
Tips for Submitting Effective Comments
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Visit the Headquarters office located at 1151 Robinson Street in Ocean Springs, MS and we'll show you around. |
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