Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean

Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean
Name	Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean
Formation	2009
Type	Regional planning body
Headquarters	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Region served	Atlantic coast of the United States

Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean brings together representatives from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia to coordinate marine spatial planning and coastal resource management. Founded in the wake of federal initiatives such as the National Ocean Policy and actions by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Council works at the intersection of state-level agencies like the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and regional organizations such as the Chesapeake Bay Program, while engaging with federal partners including the United States Department of the Interior and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Overview and Mission

The Council's mission emphasizes sustainable use of Atlantic ocean resources and balanced decision-making among stakeholders including Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, United States Coast Guard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and state agencies. It aims to support regional planning consistent with the Oceans Act-style frameworks advanced by the Executive Office of the President of the United States and operationalized through interagency coordination with entities like the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance.

Membership and Governance

Membership includes senior officials from the coastal states of Delaware Bay, Delmarva Peninsula, Long Island Sound, and the Delaware River Basin Commission jurisdictional affiliates, along with representatives from municipal governments such as the City of Philadelphia and port authorities including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Governance is conducted through a steering committee and technical advisory panels that mirror structures used by the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers initiative and the West Coast Governors' Agreement on Ocean Health, coordinating policy through memoranda with entities like the National Governors Association and the Council on Environmental Quality.

Regional Ocean Planning and Policies

The Council develops regional ocean planning products that integrate statutory frameworks such as the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and regulatory guidance from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Planning addresses marine spatial conflicts among sectors represented by stakeholders from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the American Wind Energy Association, the International Maritime Organization-aligned shipping interests, and conservation groups including The Nature Conservancy and the Sierra Club. Policy outputs align with marine planning principles used in international fora like the Convention on Biological Diversity and domestic initiatives such as the National Fish Habitat Action Plan.

Projects and Initiatives

Key initiatives have included collaborative mapping and planning projects with partners such as the Rocky Mountain Institute (regional liaison work), pilot marine spatial plans near Cape May, New Jersey and Montauk, New York, and coordination on renewable energy siting with developers represented by Ørsted (company), Equinor, and industry associations like the American Petroleum Institute. The Council has convened task forces to address emergent issues encountered during events such as Hurricane Sandy and to align response planning with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Guard (United States).

Science, Data, and Monitoring

The Council relies on scientific inputs from institutions including Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Rutgers University, University of Delaware, and federal labs such as the NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research program. Data partnerships include collaborations with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the Integrated Ocean Observing System, the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, and coastal observatories that maintain hydrographic, biological, and socioeconomic datasets used for habitat mapping and cumulative impact assessment.

Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach

Outreach strategies engage a wide array of stakeholders: commercial fisheries represented by the New England Fishery Management Council-linked organizations, recreational groups such as Surfrider Foundation, energy advocates including American Wind Energy Association, indigenous and tribal entities recognized through consultations akin to those involving the Shinnecock Indian Nation, maritime labor represented by Seafarers International Union, and conservation NGOs like Audubon Society. Public meetings and workshops often parallel engagement models used by the Marine Conservation Institute and regional planning bodies like the Puget Sound Partnership.

Challenges and Criticisms

Critiques of the Council echo challenges faced by regional bodies such as the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers process, including concerns over transparency voiced by advocacy groups like Earthjustice, conflicts between renewable energy development advocated by Department of Energy-aligned partners and fisheries interests represented by Commercial Fisheries Center-type organizations, and limits of statutory authority in disputes involving the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and state coastal management programs under the Coastal Zone Management Act. Other challenges include reconciling competing spatial claims near critical habitats like Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge and accommodating offshore infrastructure in areas used by protected species listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Category:Environmental organizations based in the United States