THE WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Final Recommendations Of The Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force July 19, 2010 Nothing in this document is intended to create private rights of action or other enforceable individual legal rights. Photographs courtesy of the Department of the Interior, Department of the Navy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INTERAGENCY OCEAN POLICY TASK FORCE TABLE OF CONTENTs EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................1 I. Introduction ..................................................................................................................1 II. Summary of the Final Recommendations of the Task Force .....................................2 III. Support for Joining the Law of the Sea Convention ...................................................8 IV. Conclusion .....................................................................................................................9 RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................ 10 PART ONE. NATIONAL POLICY FOR THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE OCEAN, OUr COASTS, AND THE GREAT LAKES ................................................................................... 10 I. Vision ...........................................................................................................................10 II. National Policy Context..............................................................................................10 The Value of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes ........................................................................10 Challenges Facing the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes ...............................................................12 The State of the National Framework for Policy Coordination ................................................................13 Time to Act ..................................................................................................................................................14 III. Policy ............................................................................................................................ 14 IV. Principles .....................................................................................................................15 PART TWO. POLICY COORDINATION FRAMEWORK ..............................................19 I. National Ocean Council ............................................................................................20 II. Authorities and Responsibilities of the National Ocean Council Co-Chairs .......21 III. Steering Committee ....................................................................................................23 IV. National Ocean Council Staff Leadership and Support ...........................................24 V. Ocean Resource Management Interagency Policy Committee ................................24 VI. Ocean Science and Technology Interagency Policy Committee ..............................25 VII. Governance Coordinating Committee ......................................................................26 VIII. Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel .......................................................27 IX. Review and Evaluation................................................................................................27 PART THREE. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY ...........................................................28 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................29 Overview of National Priority Objectives ...................................................................................................29 Planning .......................................................................................................................................................30 Transparency and Collaboration .................................................................................................................31 II. National Priority Objectives ......................................................................................32 i FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INTERAGENCY OCEAN POLICY TASK FORCE How We Do Business ...................................................................................................................................32 Areas of Special Emphasis ...........................................................................................................................36 PART FOUR. THE FRAMEWORK FOR EFFECTIVE COASTAl AND MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING .................................................................................41 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................41 II. What is Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning? ........................................................41 III. Why Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning? ............................................................42 The Benefits of CMSP ..................................................................................................................................43 IV. Integration, Cooperation, and Coordination ...........................................................46 V. Public and Stakeholder Engagement .........................................................................47 VI. The Authority for Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning .........................................47 VII. The National Goals of Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning .................................47 VIII. The National Guiding Principles for Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning ..........48 IX. Geographic Scope of Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning ....................................49 The Great Lakes and CMSP ........................................................................................................................50 Land-based Activities and Their Relation to CMSP ..................................................................................50 X. Development and Implementation of Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning ........ 51 Regional Planning Body .............................................................................................................................52 CMSP Development Agreement ..................................................................................................................54 Dispute Resolution Process .........................................................................................................................54 Work Plan ....................................................................................................................................................54 Essential Elements of the CMSP Process .....................................................................................................55 Essential Elements of the CMS Plan ............................................................................................................58 XI. The Nature of the Planning Process and National Ocean Council-Certified Coastal and Marine Spatial Plans ..............................................................................60 Relationship of CMSP to Existing Authorities ...........................................................................................62 Relationship of CMSP to Existing Regional Entities ...................................................................................63 Relationship of CMSP to Existing Plans and Projects ................................................................................63 XII. National Consistency ..................................................................................................63 Certification by the NOC for National Consistency ..................................................................................63 National CMSP Objectives, Performance Measures, and Guidance .........................................................64 XIII. Consistency with International Law .........................................................................65 XIV. Adherence to and Compliance with National Ocean Council-Certified Coastal and Marine Spatial Plans ..............................................................................65 XV. Scientific Knowledge and Data Integration, Research, Management, and Access ....................................................................................................................66 XVI. Implementation ...........................................................................................................69 Phase I (1-12 months) ..................................................................................................................................70 Phase II (9-24 months) ................................................................................................................................73 Phase III (18 months to 5 years) ..................................................................................................................74 XVII. Priorities for Financial and Other Support .............................................................. 74 ii FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INTERAGENCY OCEAN POLICY TASK FORCE PART FIVE. CONCLUSION ..............................................................................................77