CRMC Seeks Comment on Draft 309 Assessment/Strategy

Draft 309 Assessment and Strategy for Enhancement for 2016—2020

July 7, 2020 – The CRMC is currently seeking public comment on its Draft 309 Assessment and Strategy for Enhancement for 2016—2020, which is being prepared in consultation with NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management (OCM).

Every five years, state coastal management programs conduct self-assessments of their programs’ activities in nine enhancement areas of expertise. The coastal management programs perform resource characterizations for each enhancement area, identifying the current status and trends, recent management activities, and any unmet management needs. The nine enhancement areas are:

Public Access
Coastal Hazards
Ocean/Great Lakes Resources
Wetlands
Cumulative and Secondary Impacts
Marine Debris
Special Area Management Plans
Energy and Government Facility Siting
Aquaculture

Coastal management programs must develop five-year strategies to implement changes that address those enhancement areas identified as priorities in their assessment in order to be eligible for enhancement grants under CZMA Section 309. Program changes can include developing a new or revising an existing law, regulation or administrative guideline, developing or revising a special area management plan (SAMP), or creating a new program such as a coastal land acquisition or restoration program.

To learn more about the Section 309 Coastal Zone Enhancement Grants Program and the nine enhancement areas, go to: http://coast.noaa.gov/czm/enhancement/

Public Comment:
Comments may be submitted to:

RI Coastal Resources Management Council
c/o Caitlin Chaffee
4808 Tower Hill Road
Wakefield, RI 02879
cchaffee@crmc.ri.gov

Public comment period closes August 31, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.

The Draft 309 Assessment and Strategy can be found here: http://www.crmc.ri.gov/news/pdf/2020Section309AandS_PublicComment.pdf