Mayor of the City of Gloucester,
Member of Ocean Advisory Commission
By: Matthew Boger
Gloucester is America’s oldest seaport, located 36 miles northeast of Boston, MA. Its population is nearly 31,000 year round and swells to close to 45,000 in the summer months. Surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean, Gloucester’s 400 year heritage is closely linked to the sea.
Mayor Carolyn Kirk was sworn in to office on January 1, 2008 and is serving her first term. Prior to being elected Mayor, she served two terms on the Gloucester School Committee. Her professional career spans over 20 years as a management consultant, specializing in the field of customer relationship management, with industry expertise in financial services.
Q.) With the passage of the MA Ocean Act, Massachusetts becomes the first state in the nation to legislate an ocean plan. Please discuss the importance of this legislation and the influence it can have on policies developed by other states and countries?
A.) I think anytime an initiative is the first-ever, it sets the standard by which all similar initiatives going forward will be compared and probably built from. The opportunity for Massachusetts is we are in the position of formulating an ocean plan for our state and coastal waters from scratch that uniquely addresses the Commonwealth’s interests. Using Massachusetts as a model, other states and countries may turn to our example in their ocean planning efforts.
Secretary Ian Bowles and Assistant Secretary for Ocean and Coastal Zone Management Deerin Babb-Brott have made it clear that they see our ocean planning efforts as an iterative and dynamic process. The legislation itself calls for a review of the overall plan, the baseline assessment, and the enforcement provisions at least once every five years. As new data is collected, or other states and countries formulate their ocean plan, Massachusetts will learn from their examples. We really have the best of both worlds – the opportunity to create something uniquely for our waters, and over time, to incorporate best practices from other plans. The legislation is quite progressive in this regard.
Q.) Gloucester has a rich history of commercial fishing. Please discuss the importance of developing an ocean plan and what are the main areas that the fishing industry is looking to be included in the plan?
A.) The legislation makes it very clear that regulation over the fishing industry will remain in the purview of the Division of Marine Fisheries. However, the devil is in the details and will need to be worked out as the plan is developed. For example, during the listening session in Gloucester, testimony was submitted regarding aquaculture and the practice of "set asides" of portions of ocean waters for the purpose of aquaculture. If the plan would allow for a few miles of ocean waters to be cordoned off for the purpose of aquaculture, then by default, a "regulation" on where commercial fishermen can or cannot fish has just been introduced. Reconciling this type of regulation that emerges from an ocean plan with the oversight and authority already vested in the Division of Marine Fisheries will be one of the biggest challenges to overcome as it relates to the interests of the ocean plan and the commercial fishing industry.
I expect that the main areas that the fishing industry is looking to be included in the plan will be identified through the upfront listening sessions taking place now, and the public hearings that will be held later on as the plan is further defined.
Q.) What does this plan mean for the City of Gloucester, and other coastal communities?
A.) The single most important benefit, in my opinion, of the ocean plan for the City of Gloucester and other coastal communities is that the legislation requires that the plan be formally incorporated in the State Coastal Zone Management Plan. By having this provision, the ocean plan puts Massachusetts in the position of ensuring that federal actions be consistent to the maximum possible with our state ocean policy. Through the process of federal consistency reviews, and having a state ocean plan in place, the state will have more authority over federal actions. Federal service permits or leases will need to be consistent with state coastal policy.
The example relevant to Gloucester is the recent federal permitting of two offshore LNG terminals. One of the frustrations we felt at the local level was virtually having no say over the federal actions. I believe that to a certain extent, those same frustrations occurred at the state level as well.
Q.) You have been appointed to serve as a member of the 17-member Ocean Advisory Commission. Please discuss your focus on the Commission?
A.) I am the Governor’s appointment by statute representing the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) coastal regional planning agency. MAPC is the regional planning agency for the greater Boston area serving 101 cities and towns. The planning area also includes 26 coastal cities and towns. MAPC has focused many of its planning efforts on land use, water resources protection, and coastal resources management. The Oceans Act affords the MAPC with the opportunity to extend the reach of its planning efforts from the on-shore and near-shore areas to the critical off-shore resources of the region. We are excited about the chance to collaborate with the many stakeholders who have an interest in our ocean waters.
Q.) Over the years, there have been a number projects proposed off Massachusetts’ coastal waters and off of Gloucester Harbor, such as the two LNG terminals. Please discuss your view on this and how do you foresee the MA ocean plan address these proposals?
A.) One of the provisions of the legislation is to have mitigation for projects go through the state. In the example of the LNG terminals off of Gloucester, the mitigation package was negotiated privately with the folks who had access and could make the most compelling arguments for relief. By having mitigation money go through the state, it will allow for the disbursement of the funds to the areas which align with the priorities set forth in the ocean plan – everything from providing funding to non-profit organizations whose mission it is to protect the environment to providing funding to communities most impacted by offshore development with ramification for public safety, harbor patrol, etc.
Q.) The term "appropriate scale" has been used regarding the siting of renewable energy facilities such as wind farms. What is your definition of "appropriate scale" and how do you think the Commission will address this issue?
A.) "Appropriate scale" is loosely defined in the legislation because it can mean many things. Scale can mean structures above the water, perimeter areas on the water, and defined areas within the water itself. A structure above the water might be a wind turbine. The perimeter area on the water might be defined as an off-limits boating zone surrounding an LNG buoy. And areas under the water may be defined as structures sitting on or digging involving the ocean floor, or even cordoned areas in the water itself. I think the job of the Ocean Advisory Commission is, through the listening sessions, to identify as many of these permutations of "appropriate scale" as possible, and then ensure that the resultant plan takes into account the complexity of the question.
Q.) Please discuss the importance of addressing the ocean's natural resources and balancing all the uses of the ocean with marine wildlife and natural habitat protection.
A.) An example of feedback coming from the listening sessions is the whole notion of looking at balancing the uses of the ocean with marine wildlife and natural habitat protection from an ecosystem perspective rather than specific species or physical habitat locations. Again, I see my job as member of the Ocean Advisory Commission in this phase as having heard that, to capture it, and then pass it along so that the Ocean Science Advisory Council, which is also called for in the legislation, can study it in more depth.
© 2008 Massachusetts Ocean Action Coalition
Conservation Law Foundation | Mass Audubon