national water quality monitoring council herndon, va 15 july 2010 ocean policy task force: water...
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National Water Quality Monitoring CouncilHerndon, VA15 July 2010
Ocean Policy Task Force: Water Quality Objective
Jawed HameediNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Silver Spring, MD
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Ocean Policy Task Force -- OverviewEstablished by President’s memorandum,
dated June 12, 2009The message is to collaborate on ocean-
related [coasts, open water, the Great Lakes] issues and work within a unifying frameworkShare knowledge and resourcesCoordinate activitiesIntegrate toward common goalsCommunicate
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Ocean Policy Task Force – Initial ActionsWithin 90 days develop recommendations for:
A National PolicyA US Framework for Policy CoordinationAn Implementation StrategyCompleted: Interim Report, September 2009
Within 180 daysA recommended framework for effective
Coastal and Marine Spatial PlanningCompleted: Draft interim framework,
December 2009
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Ocean Policy Task ForceNine (9) Priority Objectives1. Ecosystem-based management2. Coastal and marine spatial planning3. Inform decisions and improve understanding4. Coordinate and support5. Resiliency and adaptation to climate change and
ocean acidification6. Regional ecosystem protection and restoration7. Water quality and sustainable practices on land8. Changing conditions in the Arctic9. Ocean, coastal and Great Lakes observations and
infrastructure
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Eight (8) Water Quality Issues: Coastal waters and the Great Lakes (NWQMN)Oxygen depletionNutrient over-enrichment; eutrophicationToxic contaminationSedimentationHarmful Algal BloomsHabitat degradation (freshwater availability;
dredging impacts; shoreline armoring; etc.)Invasion by non-indigenous speciesPathogens (indicator bacteria)
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Ask me how –Successfully reducing nutrient input to alleviate eutrophication may be contributing to increased incidence of botulism in coastal birds, aided by expanding invasive species
Ocean Policy Task Force: Policy Coordination Framework [Draft]
National Ocean CouncilPrincipals and DeputiesCo-Chairs: CEQ/OSTP
Ocean Resource Management IPC
Ocean Science and Technology IPC
Governance Coordination Committee
Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel
Steering Committee
White House Councils and Offices (Climate, Economy,
Security, etc.)
IPC= Interagency Policy Committee
Presumptive Framework for Developing Strategic Action Plan: Water Quality
Strategic Action Planning Committee
Chair/co-ChairsStaff
Interagency Work Group(workers, not representatives)
Theme TeamsLeaders
Regional TeamsLeaders
O&C DI&T Science
NOCORM-IPC; OST IPC
NOPC
Governance – 13IOOS – 11CMSP -- 9
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Strategic Action Plan Guidance from NOC; more
specifically from ORM-IPC and OST-IPC
Plans -- one for each objective -- to include: Actionable items – to do list -- with
milestones, performance measures, and likely outcomes;
Small-scale and incremental opportunities to build upon existing activities;
Key lead and participating agencies;
Information gaps and needs in science and technology; and
Resource requirements and steps for collaboration (current and out-year budgets)
Also SWOT analysis
Threat
WeaknessStrength
Opportunity
Apathytoward the goal
Commitment
to achieving the goal
Ag
en
cyre
qu
irem
en
ts
Ext
ern
al
need
s
Actionable Items – examplesi. Identify contaminants of concern and their sources within the
watershedii. Document the nature, severity and putative cause(s) of water
quality-related problems, e.g., seafood consumption advisories, habitats degradation (hypoxia, eutrophication, and shoreline alteration), toxins and infectious agents, and economic losses
iii. Estimate contaminant input to the watershed and loading from the watershed (and airshed) to the receiving body
iv. Develop methods and technologies to quantify transport, transformation and fate of contaminants in the watershed and receiving waters
v. Recommend and provide decision-support tools for more effective conservation practices and use efficiencies for improving water quality and quantity
vi. Provide the knowledge and tools for monitoring the status and trends of water quality and assessing watershed condition
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Focus on “nonpoint” pollution sources
• Agriculture – nutrients, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, sediment• Forestry – pesticides, sediment, temperature• Hydromodifcation and habitat alteration – channelization, dams, beach
armoring – sediment, contaminants, hydrology• Ports, marina and boating – petroleum hydrocarbons, solid waste,
sediment, fish processing waste, boat cleaning, antifouling chemicals, and coastal armoring
• Roads, highways and bridges – heavy metals, oils, sediments, etc.• Urban areas – sediments, oils, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, toxic metals
and chemicals, thermal pollution, road salt, viruses and other pathogens
• Regional emissions and deposition of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia
• Wetland and riparian management – thermal pollution, nutrients, contaminants, sediments, etc.
• Abandoned mine drainage – e.g., acidic waters with high metal content11
Other pollution sources cannot be ignored
• Municipal wastewater discharge• Industrial effluents and plumes• Smokestacks – power plants, factories and
ships – does a ship constitute a point source?• Aquaculture impacts – where does this fit?• Ballast water – where does this fit?• Oil spills• Marine debris
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NOC organizes PHASE I (1-12 months)
Phase II (9-24 months)
Phase III (18 monhts-5 years)
NOC Strategic Action Plan
Scientific guidance and information mgmt plan
Fed agency coordination
Implement regional steps
Coordinate with states; workshops
Capacity assessment
Work plan to NOC
Plan implementation, reviews, feedback
Governance Adv Comm
Funding and support
Regional planning bodies formed
Strawman phased implementation plan
Key federal partners• NOAA• EPA• US Forest Service• Agriculture Research Service• US Geological Survey• National Park Service• US F&WS Coastal Program• US Army Corps of Engineers
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Thank You
For more information:http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq ...http://www.cmsp.noaa.gov
Your comments and suggestions are [email protected]
Strawman Plan
ObjectiveWater Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land: Enhance water quality in the ocean, along our coasts, and in the Great Lakes by promoting and implementing sustainable practices on land
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Performance Measures• Develop and transfer technology and
implement practices to reduce delivery of contaminants from the watershed to coastal waters, and document water quality improvements:– Initial: demonstration of technologies,
practices and improvements in at least one of nine regions
– Cumulative: demonstration of technologies, practices and improvements in each of nine regions
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Key Measurable Outcomes
Improved water quality as demonstrated by reduced accumulation of contaminants in the environment and sentinel biota, improvements in eutrophication and hypoxic conditions, recovery of natural habitat and biodiversity, and enhanced economic benefits[Note: in the context of “ecosystem-based” management, regional differences are acknowledged, so the outcomes will relate to specific water quality-related issues or scientific questions in a particular study area].
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NOAA does not develop regulations for toxic substances or water quality criteria
Regulations U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Recommendations or guidelines [cannot be enforced by law] Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) NOAA, e.g. Sediment Quality Guidelines
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NOAA’s Water Quality Data Needs
Establishing connections between water [and air] quality and undesirable ecosystem conditions or outcomes (e.g., nuisance or harmful algal blooms, eutrophication, fish diseases and deformities, hypoxic conditions, and loss of species, habitats and biodiversity)
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Water Quality Data Needs – contd.
Understanding the role of physical processes (including episodic events, decadal changes, and global warming) on coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems.
Loading from a Runoff Event in Chesapeake Bay, March 2008 (High-Resolution Ocean Color Satellite Data) http://coastwatch.noaa.gov/
TSS
Chl
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Water Quality Data Needs – contd.
Fostering collaboration between NOAA, universities, and states
Enhancing environmental literacy (through education, outreach and training) Impervious surface area; ISAT;
Rutgers COOL; Teachers at Sea
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NOAA’s approach: Healthy Coastal Ecosystems
NOAA will use the full range of its capabilities (research, assessment, monitoring, management , technology transfer, education and outreach) to achieve:
Greater understanding of interactions among the components of healthy coastal ecosystems
Designing and implementing management solutions that are comprehensive, integrated and geographically focused over a variety of time scales
Synthesizing and communicating information to coastal decision-makers and stakeholders