Public Comment on Draft Plan for Ocean Policy

The Northeast Regional Ocean Council will be convening a series of public meetings in June to review and discuss the draft ocean plan for New England and to take public comment. Since 2012 the Northeast Regional Planning Body has met to establish ocean resource baselines that stakeholders may use. Below is the schedule and location for these meetings.

• Mon., June 27, 6pm to 8:30pm – DES Office, 222 International Drive, Suite 175, Portsmouth, NH.

• Wed., June 29, 6pm to 8:30pm – Rhode Island location TBD.

• Thurs., June 30, 5:30pm to 8pm

University of Southern Maine, Glickman Library, 314 Forest Ave., Portland, ME. There is parking in the garage off Bedford Street (the library is at the corner of Bedford and Forest).

Congress did not fund the 2010 Executive order for a National Ocean Plan. The Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation, a private corporate foundation, has funded the development of an National Ocean Policy. The project has included several meetings and workshops with representatives, scientists, ENGOs and the public from the New England states since 2012. In addition, resource baselines were set and extensive ocean mapping completed.