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Commonwealth Accepting Public Comments on Draft Mass Ocean Plan

The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs released the Draft Ocean Management Plan in early July. The State held five public hearings in September and is currently accepting comments until November 23rd.

The State needs to hear from you! Please submit comments so we can work together to ensure that Massachusetts protects our vital natural resources and thoughtfully supports sustainable ocean development, including renewable energy development.

You can submit comments electronically or by mail at:

Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
Re: Draft Ocean Management Plan
251 Causeway Street, Suite 800
Boston, MA 02114

The comment period will close at 5pm on November 23, 2009.

Background: Ocean Management in Massachusetts

Massachusetts’ 1500 miles of coastline and its 1.6 million acres of subtidal lands are an integral part of New England’s ocean waters. They belong to all of us, yet they face a tidal wave of proposed new uses. In order to protect our important natural resources and guide all development activity, including renewable energy, the Commonwealth has released the first-in-the-nation Draft Ocean Management Plan. A requirement of the Massachusetts Oceans Act, this landmark ocean management plan is designed to end decades of ad hoc decision making by establishing a coordinated plan that seeks to balance economic growth with protection of marine wildlife and habitat.

About the Mass Ocean Coalition

Our Mission -- The Massachusetts Ocean Coalition represents over 40 member organizations working together to build a Massachusetts Ocean Plan that balances commercial and recreational activities with conservation needs in order to ensure a healthy ocean legacy for the Bay State.

Our History -- The Massachusetts Ocean Coalition championed the passage of the Massachusetts Oceans Act, making Massachusetts the first state in the nation to develop a comprehensive management plan for its ocean waters. Now, we are working to make sure that this plan protects the ocean resources vital to the future of the people of Massachusetts.

The Coalition will work to ensure that the Ocean Plan includes specific measures that:

Protect underwater habitats essential to unique marine life.
Allow uses only where they can coexist with healthy marine ecosystems.
Design new uses in ways that maintain the oceans living resources.

The Coalition will work to ensure that the Ocean Plan incorporates:

Input from a wide range of ocean users
The best available science
Newly emerging information

Get Involved

Submit comments on the development of the MA ocean plan

The Massachusetts Ocean Plan Website

This Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) website provides information on the Massachusetts Ocean Plan, including details about the Ocean Act of 2008, the public participation process, the Ocean Advisory Commission and Ocean Science Advisory Council, and background information on ocean planning.

Massachusetts Ocean Partnership (MOP)

MOP is a broadly representative public-private partnership created to support and advance ecosystem-based integrated multi-use management of the Commonwealth's coastal ocean resources. The partnership will work to improve the management, understanding and health of MA coastal ocean waters to ensure thriving ocean ecosystems and their continued capacity to serve vital ecological, economic, recreational and other needs. MOP's primary near-term goal is to support the development and implementation of an integrated multi-use ocean management plan for MA waters. Responsible state, local and federal agencies will develop, implement and enforce the integrated multi-use ocean management plan; MOP will provide support and coordination for this complex undertaking.