The Massachusetts Ocean Advisory Commission held its first meeting at the Boston Fish Pier on Wednesday, August 13th to announce its 17 members and outline the schedule of public forums that will be held in September and October. After the public comment period, the Advisory Commission is expected to hold its next meeting in November 2008.
The seventeen-member Ocean Advisory Commission includes:
Legislative Representatives:
Senator Robert O'Leary (D-Barnstable)
Senator Anthony Petruccelli (D-Boston)
Senator Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester)
Representative Frank Smizik (D-Brookline)
Representative Demetrius Atsalis (D-Hyannis)
Representative Viriato DeMacedo (R-Plymouth)
State Agency Representatives:
Deerin Babb-Brott - Assistant Secretary for Ocean and Coastal Management,
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA)
Laurie Burt - Commissioner, Department of Environmental Protection
Paul Diodati - Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, Department of Fish & Game
Stakeholder Representatives (representing specific areas as defined in Section 2 (c)(i) of the Massachusetts Ocean Act:
Susan Tierney (Commission Chair) - Analysis Group
(renewable energy)
John Bullard - Executive Director, Sea Education Association
(Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District)
Jack Clarke - MA Audubon
(environmental)
Stacey Justus - Cape Cod Commission
(Cape Cod Commission)
Carolyn Kirk - Mayor of Gloucester
(Metropolitan Area Planning Council)
Alan Macintosh - Merrimack Valley Commission
(Merrimack Valley Commission)
John Pappalardo - New England Marine Fisheries Council
(commercial fishing)
JoAnn Taylor - Martha's Vineyard Commission
(Martha's Vineyard Commission)
PUBLIC OUTREACH PLAN FOR MASSACHUSETTS OCEAN ACT
A cornerstone of the ocean plan will be input provided by the public. While the Ocean Act mandates a public hearing process at the draft plan stage (expected to be presented in May-June 2009), it is critical that public input begin prior to that stage. The development of ocean plan principals and the plan framework will, in part, be developed in response to public comments.
There will be two stages for the public outreach plan. First, the Advisory Commission is planning eighteen public forums in September and October 2008, where EOEEA will provide an introductory presentation of the ocean plan, followed by a question and answer period, and concluding with opportunity for public comments.
The second stage of public outreach will occur following the development of the draft plan, tentatively scheduled for May-June 2009.
© 2008 Massachusetts Ocean Action Coalition
Conservation Law Foundation | Mass Audubon