Atlantic Northeast Coastal
Monitoring Summit
December 10-12, 2002
New England Center
Durham, NH
Summit Outcomes – this “working
summit” will:
?? Develop an ecologically driven
basis for coordinating selected
monitoring programs in Atlantic
Northeast coastal waters
?? Develop a framework for a regional monitoring network; and
?? Identify new regional monitoring needs and corresponding research needs that respond
to the region’s pressing management needs.
Day 1: Tuesday, December 10, 2002
11:00 – 1:00 Registration
1:00 – 1:35 Workshop Welcome, Introductions, and Charge to Workshop
Barry Burgan, EPA
This will be a 15-minute presentation on the vision and goals of the summit with
a 20-minute question and answer session following the presentation. This will
allow people time to clearly understand what needs to occur over the next couple
of days.
1:35 - 2:00 A Need for Regional Management
Paul Stacey, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
This will be a 10-minute presentation on the pressing regional management
issues that show us the need to consider developing a regional monitoring
network. This will be followed by a 15-minute question and answer period for
clarifying comments.
2:00 – 3:00 Making the Case for a Monitoring “Network”
Dr. Stephen Weisberg, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Stephen Weisberg is the Executive Director of the
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. SCCWRP is a joint powers
agency focusing on marine environmental research. Its mission is to gather the
necessary scientific information so that its member agencies can effectively, and
cost-efficiently, protect the Southern California marine environment. One of
SCCWRP’s areas of research emphasis is development of integrated, coordinated
regional monitoring about the condition of the Southern California Bight. He
will give his perspective on planning, developing, and coordinating a regional
monitoring plan.
3:00 – 3:15 Lessons Learned
Lynn McLeod\Carlton Hunt, Battelle
Applicable lessons from other programs will be reviewed and followed by 20
minutes of Q&A.
3:15 – 3:30 Break
3:30 – 4:00 A Framework for a Regional Monitoring Network
David Keeley, Maine State Planning Office
A summary of the function and form of a regional monitoring network with an
introduction to the potential initial habitat, nutrients and contaminants thrusts.
4:00 – 5:00 What is our base – an overview of current monitoring programs
Christy Finlayson, Gulf of Maine Council Monitoring Coordinator
The session will provide an overview of the monitoring inventory that describes
Federal, state, and local programs and categorizes them by parameters monitored.
Discussion will focus on the environmental questions/drivers the monitoring
seeks to address and will provide a question and answer period to clarify
information presented and identify programs omitted.
5:00 – 6:30 Poster Session (Cash bar & food)
Posters on monitoring efforts throughout the region, organized along the
following topics, will be on display for the duration of the workshop.
Hydrography/profiling Fish/crustaceans/shellfish community
Water column chemistry Habitat/SAV
Plankton/zooplankton Emerging issues
Sediments/benthos Other
Day 2: Wednesday, December 11, 2002
07:30 – 8:00 Coffee
8:00 – 8:45 Overview
Carlton Hunt, Batte lle
This session will provide an overview of how the breakout sessions will unfold
and answer questions that may have arisen during the preceding day. In addition,
Barry Burgan, EPA and Peter Wells, Environment Canada will give brief
overviews of efforts throughout the United States and Canada to coordinate
monitoring efforts.
8:45 – 10:15 Work Group Session #1 -- Building the Monitoring Network
Six breakout sessions using the themes of habitat (2 sessions), nutrients (2
sessions), and toxics/contaminants (2 sessions) and the corresponding straw-man
proposals will form the basis of sessions. Facilitated discussions will focus the
following questions:
??Commence with roundtable of 1-minute self introductions to skills &
programs represented
??Is the “form and function” matrix clear (its purpose and content)? Are the
definitions and text explanations provided for each shaded box
adequate/appropriate? (see large charts on the walls)
??Does the workgroup concur with the options selected (e.g., shaded boxes)
and is there consensus on the best “set” of boxes to define the network?
??Does the group understand the rationale, endgame & conceptual costs and
benefits of a network?
Session wrap-up/concurrence on results & preview of session #2
questions
Breakout Group Facilitators/Recorder
Habitat
Group 1
Facilitator: Judy Pederson, MIT Sea Grant
Recorder: Jan Smith, Massachusetts Bay
National Estuary Program
Group 2
Facilitator: Art McKay, St. Croix ACAP
Recorder: David Keeley, Maine State Planning
Nutrients
Group 1
Facilitator: Carlton Hunt, Battelle
Recorder: Chris Deacutis, Narragansett Bay
National Estuary Program
Group 2
Facilitator: Rich Langan, CINEMAR/CICEET
Recorder: Christian Krahforst, Massachusetts
Office of Coastal Zone Management
Toxics
Group 1
Facilitator: Barry Burgan, EPA
Recorder: Christy Finlayson, Gulf of Maine
Group 2
Facilitator Sean Brilliant, St. John ACAP
Recorder: Gerry Pesch, EPA
10:15 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 12:00 Work Group Session #2 – Focusing on Habitat, Nutrients or Toxics
Management Issues
The same 6 breakout sessions will meet and discuss the following questions:
??What key items are missing from the monitoring variables chart? (For
nutrients and habitat the priority monitoring variables are highlighted in blue.
There is no “priority” for toxics as it depends on the issue of interest.) What
modifications to the proposed priorities does the group suggest?
??What significant monitoring programs are missing from the chart?
??What monitoring programs are key to the success of an integrated network?
Session wrap-up/concurrence on results & preview of session #3
questions
Same Facilitators and Recorders as Work Group #1
12:00 – 1:00 Buffet Lunch
1:00 – 3:00 Work Group Session #3 – Identifying the Key Questions, Monitoring Gaps
and Research Needs
The same 6 breakout sessions will meet and discuss the following questions:
??What are the key questions we need a network to help us address?
??What monitoring needs are not currently being met?
??What supporting research (within the theme area) is needed to provide
managers with the tools to make more informed decisions?
??What 2-3 products would the group expect to see from an integrated
approach in 18-24 months? (see examples to stimulate discussion)
Session wrap-up/concurrence on results & preview of
session #4 questions
Same Facilitators and Recorders as Work Group #1
3:00 – 3:30 Break
3:30 – 5:00 Work Group Session #4 – Pulling it all together
The same 6 breakout sessions will meet and discuss the following questions:
??What are some funding mechanisms and/or sources to initiate the
network?
??What existing mechanisms (e.g., Gulf of Maine Council) or groups
(committees, work groups, etc.) exist that might be used to support this
effort?
??What does the group suggest are the key next steps over the next 12-18
months?
??Who is willing to help in moving this idea forward?
Session wrap-up/concurrence on results
Same Facilitators and Recorders as Work Group #1
5:00 to 6:30 Evening Reception
Hosted by the Alliance for Coastal Technology and the Cooperative Institute for
Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology
7:00 to 8:30 Optional Evening Session
The summit is focusing on the region’s three priority management issues by
developing three straw-man proposals. There may be other issues that some
participants may want to discuss. This optional evening session will provide a
time for that discussion.
Day 3: Thursday, December 12, 2002
07:30 – 8:00 Coffee
8:00 – 10:00 Plenary Session
David Keeley, Maine State Planning Office; Diane Gould, EPA
This will be an integrated presentation of the results of the three breakout groups
that identifies crosscutting needs, core principles, and raises questions for further
discussion.
10:00 – 10:15 Break
10:15 – 11:15 Organizing to Implement
Barry Burgan, EPA; Carlton Hunt, Battelle
What has to happen next in order to implement the program?
11:15 Closing remarks
12:00 Summit adjourns