The Science of Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Restoration Summary Report
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2012 Public Policy Forum The Science of Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Restoration Summary Report Each year, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership hosts a day-long public meeting to facilitate ocean policy discussions with representatives from Congress, the federal agencies, industry, and the academic research community. This year’s forum was focused on the science of ocean, coastal and Great Lakes restoration and offered a valuable opportunity to engage in dialogue with speakers on the three panels: The Role of Science in Restoration Planning; Lessons Learned and Challenges Facing other National Restoration Efforts; and The Future of Restoration: Gulf of Mexico Case Study. Dr. Alan Thornhill, Chief Environmental Officer Senator Mark Begich Dr. Margaret Leinen, Associate Provost (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management) (D-Alaska) (Florida Atlantic University) Table of Contents Congressional Speakers Senator Mark Begich – D-Alaska ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Senator Lisa Murkowski – R-Alaska .................................................................................................................................. 2 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse – D-Rhode Island ................................................................................................................. 3 Representative Bill Cassidy – 6th District, Louisiana, U.S. House of Representatives ....................................................... 4 Representative Kathy Castor – 11th District, Florida, U.S. House of Representatives ....................................................... 5 Featured Speakers Robert Detrick, Ph.D. – NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research ............................................................... 6 Margaret Leinen, Ph.D. – Florida Atlantic University ...................................................................................................... 8 Alan Thornhill, Ph.D. – Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ........................................................................................ 9 Panel Discussions Panel 1: The Role of Science in Restoration Planning ..................................................................................................... 11 Bill Boicourt, Ph.D. – University of Maryland ............................................................................................................. 11 Anne Guerry, Ph.D. – The Natural Capital Project ..................................................................................................... 11 Bob Haddad, Ph.D. – NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration ............................................................................. 13 Steve Murawski, Ph.D. – University of South Florida ................................................................................................. 14 Panel 2: Lessons Learned and Challenges Facing other National Restoration Efforts ................................................... 15 Rich Batiuk – EPA’s Chesapeake Program Office ....................................................................................................... 15 Marie Colton, Ph.D. – NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory ..................................................... 16 Curtis Tanner – Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project .................................................................... 17 Fran Ulmer – United States Arctic Research Commission ........................................................................................... 18 Panel 3: The Future of Restoration: Gulf of Mexico Case Study ..................................................................................... 20 John Hankinson, Jr. – Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force ......................................................................... 20 David Kennedy – NOAA’s National Ocean Service ..................................................................................................... 21 R. Eugene Turner, Ph.D. – Louisiana State University................................................................................................ 22 ii Speaker Biographies ........................................................................................................................................................ 24 Rich Batiuk ................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Senator Mark Begich .................................................................................................................................................... 25 Don Boesch ................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Bill Boicourt .................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Representative Bill Cassidy .......................................................................................................................................... 26 Representative Kathy Castor ......................................................................................................................................... 27 Marie Colton ................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Robert Detrick ............................................................................................................................................................... 27 Anne Guerry .................................................................................................................................................................. 28 Bob Haddad .................................................................................................................................................................. 28 John Hankinson ............................................................................................................................................................. 29 David Kennedy ............................................................................................................................................................. 29 Margaret Leinen ............................................................................................................................................................ 30 Steven Murawski........................................................................................................................................................... 30 Senator Lisa Murkowski ............................................................................................................................................... 31 Nancy Rabalais ............................................................................................................................................................. 31 Curtis Tanner ................................................................................................................................................................ 31 Alan Thornhill ............................................................................................................................................................... 32 Eugene Turner ............................................................................................................................................................... 32 Fran Ulmer .................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse ........................................................................................................................................ 33 iii Congressional Speaker Senator Mark Begich – D-Alaska Senator Mark Begich discussed emerging challenges and opportunities that climate change presents in the Arctic, particularly as they relate to harnessing and properly managing Arctic natural resources. While issues in the region often center on oil and gas development and fisheries, Begich highlighted specific navigational challenges arising in these areas. Sea ice changes in the Arctic are impacting transportation for cargo and tourism reasons. For example, traditionally, roughly 50 ships move through the Bering Strait each year; however, this year, nearly 1,000 ships are expected to move through the Bering Strait. In addition, there is rising competition for access to Arctic resources among Arctic and non-Arctic nations. He stressed that our current state of knowledge is insufficient to address and respond to these and other issues and that we must begin to deepen our understanding of the Arctic. th Senator Begich highlights important In the 112 Congress, the Senator introduced two opportunities and challenges in the Arctic. important pieces of legislation pertaining to the Arctic: the Arctic Photo Credit: Will Ramos Ocean Research, Monitoring and Observing Act and the Arctic Science Endowment Act. The goal of these Acts is to expand resources in support of ongoing work in the Arctic, as well as to enhance Arctic research. The Arctic environment and Arctic-related activities are particularly precarious, with