gulf coast ecosystem restoration science, observation...

Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science, Observation, Monitoring, and Technology Program

NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program Gulf Coastal Prarie

Landscape Conservation Cooperative

Roger C. Helm, Senior Scientist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

December 3, 2014

Mission: To initiate and sustain an integrative, holistic understanding of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and support, to the maximum extent practicable, restoration efforts and the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem, including its fish stocks, fishing industries, habitat, and wildlife through ecosystem research, observation, monitoring, and technology development. • Staff & managers from all NOAA line offices plus USFWS developing the Program • Actively engaging with stakeholders to raise awareness of Program and solicit input • The science needs of stakeholders (which includes the Feds, States, and LCC partners)

have been the driving force in the development of the Plan and will be the primary beneficiaries of the Program’s output

• The Science Plan builds on prior science and research needs identified for the region • We continue to coordinate with ongoing Gulf science programs and with Deepwater

Horizon-related science and restoration programs (e.g., NASs’ Gulf Research Program, The RESTORE Council, and the various affiliated University and NGO Gulf Research activities)

http://restoreactscienceprogram.noaa.gov/

NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program In a Nutshell

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Congress passed and the President signed into law the RESTORE Act (Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies (RESTORE) of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012; P.L. 112-141). The Act established several activities and programs to be funded by penalties from the oil spill. This program is one of them. Its mission is to…. Also…. Funds may not be used for any existing or planned research led by NOAA, implementation or initiation of new NOAA regulations, and development of or approval of a fisheries catch share program.

http://restoreactscienceprogram.noaa.gov/wp-admin

So that’s it… Thanks for dialing in

Outline for Today’s Webinar • Program Overview

– Legislation and Requirements – Funding- small piece of a huge undetermined amount

• Coordination and Engagement – Lots to build upon and to build with

• Science Plan – What’s inside – Priority identification process – Long-term research priorities – Comment process

• Initial Federal Funding Opportunity • Current and Future Activities • Challenges and Opportunities • Science Advisory Board

• RESTORE Act of 2012 – Section 1604 authorizes the NOAA Administrator, in

consultation with USFWS Director, to establish a Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science, Observation, Monitoring, and Technology Program (NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program)

• Administrator and Director shall consult with Gulf States Marine Fisheries Comm. & Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

• Priority shall be given to integrated, long-term projects that address management needs

• Funds may not be used for – any existing or planned research led by NOAA, – implementation or initiation of new NOAA regulations, and – development of or approval of a fisheries catch share program.

Legislation and Requirements

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Congress passed and the President signed into law the RESTORE Act (Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies (RESTORE) of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012; P.L. 112-141). The Act establishes and NEW trust fund, Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, and diverts 80% of the Clean Water Act civil penalties and related penalties from the oil spill and related settlements into the NEW trust fund. The RESTORE Act also authorized several activities, including the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program. The text of section 1604 is short, less than 2 pages, but does lay out Congress’s intent in establishing the program. SEC. 1604. GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION SCIENCE, OBSERVATION, MONITORING, AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM. (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. (3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. (4) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science, Observation, Monitoring, and Technology program established under this section. (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.— (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation with the Director, shall establish the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science, Observation, Monitoring, and Technology program to carry out research, observation, and monitoring to support, to the maximum extent practicable, the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem, fish stocks, fish habitat, and the recreational, commercial, and charter fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico. (2) EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS.—For each fiscal year, amounts made available to carry out this subsection may be expended for, with respect to the Gulf of Mexico— (A) marine and estuarine research; (B) marine and estuarine ecosystem monitoring and ocean observation; (C) data collection and stock assessments; (D) pilot programs for— (i) fishery independent data; and (ii) reduction of exploitation of spawning aggregations; and (E) cooperative research.

*Supplemented by interest generated by the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund

(50% to Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, 25% to Science Program,

25% to Centers of Excellence)

RESTORE Act Distribution of Clean Water Act Civil Penalties

$1B Transocean settlement

Civil Penalties 20% Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund

80% Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund

35% Equally distributed

to 5 Gulf States (AL, FL, LA, MS,

TX)

30%* Gulf Coast

Ecosystem Restoration

Council

30% Impact based

distribution to 5 Gulf

States (AL, FL, LA, MS,

TX)

2.5%* Gulf Coast Ecosystem

Restoration Science, Observation,

Monitoring, and Technology Program

2.5%* Centers of Excellence

$800M

$200M

$280M $240M $240M $20M $20M

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Lets spend a few minutes discussing the flow of funding to the program. Again, the RESTORE Act sets up a new trust fund to receive 80% of the Clean Water Act Civil penalties in connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The remaining 20% will continue to go into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund – where all the penalty money would have gone in the absence of the RESTORE Act. The principal in the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund will go to support five authorized activities. The first three activities will receive 95% of the principal and can broadly use the funding for economic restoration and ecosystem restoration. The remaining 5% of the principal is what we have been describing as the explicit science elements. NOTE: The States and Council can fund science, but do not have to do so. This program and the Centers of Excellence can only fund science. The principal will be invested in conservative, low yield Treasury bonds and any interest generated will be split between only three of the authorized activities. Additional Background: As of August 2013, the only responsible party to resolve its Clean Water Act civil penalties is Transocean which settled with the US Department of Justice for $1B with the following payment schedule [with Interest accruing from the Date of Lodging (Jan. 2, 2013) of this Consent Decree]… a. $400,000,000, plus Interest, within sixty (60) days after Date of Entry (February 19, 2013); b. $400,000,000, plus Interest, within one (1) year after Date of Entry; and c. $200,000,000, plus Interest, within two (2) years after Date of Entry. Other responsible parties are also facing settlements, but as of now (Sept 23, 2014), their amounts are unknown. In February 2012, MOEX Offshore 2007 LLC, another responsible party, settled with the US Department of Justice for $45 million in Clean Water Act penalties to be paid to the US government. Because the RESTORE Act only applies to penalties resolved after the date the Act was enacted (July 6, 2012), this penalty money will not go into the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund.

NFWF

RESTORE Act Partnerships in the Gulf of Mexico (Funded by 80% of Civil Penalties)

Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund

20% of Civil Penalties

ACADEMIC

1603 RESTORE

Council Members

1603(1) State

Allocation & Expenditures

35%

1603(2) Council

Establishment & Allocation

30% 1603(3)

Oil Spill Restoration

Impact Allocation

30%

1604 Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science,

Observation, Monitoring & Technology Program

2.5%

1605 CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE

2.5%

NGO Funded by

Criminal Penalties

FEDERAL & INTERNATIONAL

Natural Resources

Damage Assessment

Trustee Council

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Transition: But the RESTORE Act programs are one piece of a much larger Gulf of Mexico science and restoration puzzle that has emerged in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The constellation of partnerships for the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program begins with the other components of the RESTORE Act, but extends to the other science and restoration initiatives that have emerged from the oil spill including the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative ($500M over 10 years), the National Academy of Sciences Gulf Research Program ($500M over 30 years), the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Program. The recent initiatives are occurring against the backdrop of existing federal and state research, observing, and monitoring program operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Conversations with these other programs have begun and will continue.

Coordination

• Deepwater Horizon-related science and restoration initiatives including…

– Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative – National Academy of Sciences Gulf Program – National Fish and Wildlife Foundation – Natural Resources Damage Assessment – Other RESTORE Act programs

• Centers of Excellence (2.5% of Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund) • Science and monitoring funded by states and Gulf Coast Ecosystem

Restoration Council • NOTE: Each program is independent, but determined to coordinate

• Existing federal and state research programs LCC funded efforts

Presenter

Presentation Notes

The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative is a $500M BP funded initiative that is scheduled to run for 10 years and is administered by a independent science board and program office. As part of legal settlements with the companies involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the federal government asked the National Academy of Sciences to establish a new 30-year, $500M research program focused on human health and environmental protection in the Gulf region. Two plea agreements resolving the criminal cases against BP and Transocean directed a total of $2.544 billion to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to fund projects benefitting the natural resources of the Gulf Coast that were impacted by the spill. NFWF will carry out the plea agreements through its newly established Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. Over the next five years, the Fund will receive a total of $1.272 billion for barrier island and river diversion projects in Louisiana, $356 million each for natural resource projects in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi, and $203 million for similar projects in Texas. Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) is the process by which responsible parties to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be held responsible for the impact of the spill on federal and state trust resources. BP has made an initial $1B early NRDA payment to fund early restoration projects, but the process for assessing and resolving all damages to trust resources has not been completed.

Coordination, Engagement, and Science Planning NOAA has conducted over 100 meetings seeking input from stakeholders including representatives from

the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, universities, federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations.

The Ocean Conservancy

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force

Louisiana Comprehensive Master Plan

The Program research priorities have and will continue to be informed by existing plans and activities addressing the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.

Sea Grant Research

Plan

Gulf Governors

Action Plan

Florida Ocean Council –

Annual Science Research Plan

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Transition: For this science program, our coordination activities blend together with our engagement and science planning activities. Over the past several years, multiple science and research needs assessments have been conducted in the Gulf of Mexico. Here are a few of them. The program is building off these prior exercises to construct its own science plan. We looked for commonality among these assessments to identify goals for the program and have cross-checked what we have assembled through engagement with resource managers and researchers.

Science Plan: What’s Inside

• Science Plan lays out the path forward for the Program.

• Discusses the long-term priorities, the process by which those priorities were determined, and the sequencing of activities.

• Describes how the Program will be implemented and the partners with which we will leverage future opportunities.

Program structure and administration – Program management – Approach to coordination – Program parameters – Eligibility for funding opportunities – Scientific integrity – Data and information sharing

Program overview and priorities – Legislative requirements – Vision and mission – Geographic scope – Approach to engagement – Rationale and process for

establishing priorities – Ten long-term priorities

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Long-term priorities for implementation of the Program were drawn from prior science and research needs assessments for the Gulf of Mexico and from input the Program received while engaging with stakeholders. In establishing these long-term science priorities, NOAA reviewed the numerous science and research needs assessments documented for the Gulf of Mexico over the past several years and conducted over 100 meetings seeking input from stakeholders including representatives from the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, universities, federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations. We looked for commonality among assessments and stakeholder input to identify priorities then cross-checked what we assembled through additional engagement with resource managers, researchers and public review. Priorities for the long-term implementation of this Program were further refined based on consideration of the following relevance criteria: �What are the management and restoration science needs? How will the research priority support management science needs? How will the research priority help achieve the Program’s stated goals? Is the priority duplicative with other science programs in the Gulf of Mexico? Will the priority fill knowledge gaps in the scientific knowledge about the Gulf of Mexico, leading to a more holistic understanding of the ecosystem? Is the priority within the scope of this Program?

Priority Identification Process

• Reviewed previously identified research priorities of various stakeholders

• Consolidated priorities • Identified management needs associated with

each priority • Identified key activities and anticipated outputs

and outcomes

Presenter

Presentation Notes

1) that these priorities were drawn from existing assessments/research needs documents 2) that we took the information we collected from those documents and combined and selected down to get where we are now with the program goal (which was tested through the engagement process), program mission (derived from the authorization legislation), and compelling management/research needs helping to guide us 3) the focus areas (which were tested through the engagement process) were used as an organizing principle for the combining/selecting of priorities and they should not get caught up on them 4) their recommendations will be used to further refine the plan before it goes out to public comment (which will be encouraged through engagement activities)

Long-term Research Priorities

• Increase comprehensive understanding of Gulf ecosystem services, resilience and vulnerabilities of coupled social and ecological systems.

• Construct management-ready and accessible ecosystem models for the Gulf of Mexico.

• Improve forecasting, analysis and modeling of climate change and weather effects on the sustainability and resiliency of Gulf ecosystems.

• Increase comprehensive understanding of watershed, sediment, and nutrient flows and impacts on coastal ecology and habitats.

• Increase comprehensive understanding of coastal and living marine resources, food web dynamics, habitat utilization, protected areas, and carbon flow.

5 of 10

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Protected areas – Refuges, National Parks, Sanctuaries

• Analyze new and existing social and environmental data to develop long-term trend and variability information on the status and health of ecosystems, including humans.

• Develop, identify, and validate system-wide indicators of Gulf Coast environmental and socioeconomic conditions.

• Obtain information and develop decision support tools needed to monitor and adaptively manage habitat, living marine resources, and wildlife.

• Network and integrate existing and planned data/information from Gulf monitoring programs.

• Develop and implement advanced engineering, physical, chemical, biological, and socioeconomic technologies to improve monitoring.

Long-term Research Priorities (con’t) 5 more of 10

Comment on the Science Plan find the plan at

http://restoreactscienceprogram.noaa.gov/science-plan

E-mail: [email protected]

By mail: Dr. Becky Allee NOAA OCM, Gulf of Mexico Division Bldg. 1100, Rm 232 Stennis Space Center, MS, 39529

Comments due December 15, 2014

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Slide to be left up while fielding questions about the program.

Initial Federal Funding Opportunity

• Focuses on three short-term priorities: – Comprehensive inventory and assessment of existing Gulf ecosystem models – Identification of health/condition indicators of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and

analysis of strengths and weaknesses and design/testing of additional indicators – Assessment of monitoring and observation needs and development of

recommendations for a Gulf-wide network.

• Further refined by three topical areas: – Ecosystem and living marine resources management – Climate change and extreme weather impacts on sustainability of restoration – Integration of social/behavioral/economic science into restoration and management

• Total available funding is $2-2.5 million; projects completed in one to two years

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Early in the development of the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program, NOAA learned from stakeholder engagement and from other science and restoration initiatives focused on the Gulf of Mexico region that it would be valuable to support work on a set of short-term priorities to be completed within 3 years. The rationale was that it would allow the research community to compete for funding for short-term projects whose results would inform the future direction of this program as well as the other science and restoration initiatives planned or underway

Current Activities

Science Plan (comment period ends

15 Dec 2014)

Programmatic Environmental

Assessment (released Jan. 2015 for

comments)

Announce initial Federal Funding

Opportunity (mid-Dec 2014)

Future Activities

Science Plan (finalize Jan 2015)

Programmatic Environmental

Assessment (finalize Spring 2015)

Award initial federal funding opportunity

(Spring 2015)

Develop second federal funding

opportunity (2015)

Challenges and Opportunities

• Funding uncertainties necessitate a tiered and iterative approach with a long-tem vision. • Our Program is a science initiative within the RESTORE Act, not the

science initiative for the RESTORE Act. • Everyone recognizes the extraordinary opportunity we all have:

– Huge dollars and an amazing number of Gulf-focused science and restoration efforts

– Our country, the Gulf, and science all win if we share our wisdom and operate as an open book

– Replication is FINE, Duplication is NOT

Coordination is critical and must be continuous

NOAA Science Advisory Board Working Group

Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science Program Advisory Working Group Role • Provide independent guidance and review of the Science Program along with general programmatic

advice and recommendations • Provide a mechanism for formal coordination between the multiple organizations conducting Gulf of

Mexico science connected to the Deepwater Horizon event Members Representatives of Gulf of Mexico Science Programs: • Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission • Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council • RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas)

Subject Matter Experts: physical, chemical, and biological oceanography; economics and social sciences; wetlands ecology; fisher, wildlife, and marine mammal ecology; ecosystem modeling; toxicology; developers of observing and monitoring systems; ecosystem management

Ex-officio members: • Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative • National Academy of Sciences Gulf Research Program • Bureau of Ocean Energy Management • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Working Group Members Subject Matter Experts

Dr. Dwayne E. Porter, co-Chair University of South Carolina

Dr. Robert Dickey, co-Chair The University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Joseph N. Boyer Plymouth State University

Dr. Christopher D’Elia Louisiana State University

Dr. Richard E. Dodge Nova Southeastern University

Dr. Yoko Furukawa Naval Research Laboratory

Dr. Scott M. Glenn Rutgers University

Dr. Thomas E. Miller Florida State University

Dr. Thomas J. Miller University of Maryland Center for Enviro. Science

Dr. Nancy N. Rabalais Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium

Dr. Christopher M. Reddy Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Dr. Kurt E. Schnier University of California, Merced

Dr. Christine C. Shepard The Nature Conservancy

Dr. Pamela K. Yochem

Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute Dr. Paul Zimba

Texas A&M University Corpus Christi

Representative Members Mr. Jeffrey Rester

Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Dr. Carrie Simmons

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council *Representatives from the RESTORE Centers of Excellence are to be determined.

Ex-officio Members Dr. Anthony Chatwin

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Dr. Pasquale F. Roscigno

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Dr. Maggie L. Walser

National Academy of Sciences Dr. Charles A. Wilson

Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative

Thank you for your time. Any questions?

Website: restoreactscienceprogram.noaa.gov

E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

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