By Rob Ollikainen
Peninsula Daily News
With an eye on conservation and collaboration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released a draft management plan for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.
The management plan and accompanying environmental assessment, released Friday, revises the Port Angeles-based sanctuary’s original management plan that was published in 1994.
It identifies goals and strategies for sanctuary staff to protect and conserve marine resources along the Olympic Peninsula coast for the next five to 10 years.
“This plan is much more detailed and better organized than our original plan was,” said George Galasso, acting sanctuary superintendent.
“It also better reflects the priorities of some of our key partners. It’s well-aligned with the coastal tribes as well as with the Washington state Ocean Action Plan.”
Robert Steelquist, sanctuary education coordinator, said the only change to regulation in the plan would affect cruise ship dumping.
NOAA has proposed to prohibit wastewater discharge from cruise ships within the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.
“The main purpose of the plan is really to identify the priorities for our work,” Steelquist said.
With limited state and federal dollars, the sanctuary will focus on collaboration.
“That’s the climate we’re in,” Steelquist said.
The 306-page document is available for public review on the Port Angeles-based sanctuary’s website, www.olympiccoast.noaa.gov.
Public comments will be taken through March 25.
The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will discuss the sanctuary’s draft management plan and draft environmental assessment Friday.
The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in Room 160 on the main level of the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
The meeting will provide a good overview on the subject, Galasso said.
Additionally, public meetings, both at 6 p.m., are scheduled for Feb. 23 at the Clallam County Courthouse (Room 160) and Feb. 24 at the state Department of Natural Resources community room in Forks, 411 Tillicum Lane.
“Some of the other differences in the plan is how it’s organized,” said Galasso, who has worked on the planning document for the past several years.
“It’s a comprehensive plan. It actually includes many more activities.”
Steelquist said the process of drafting the plan “really incorporated everything we’ve learned by being around as long as we have.”
“This plan, I think, really states our intent to work in that environment of collaboration,” Steelquist said.
The draft plan was based on years of scientific assessment and public input, he said.
It makes recommendations for goals and objectives and contains 20 action plans based on different funding levels.
“The draft management plan is the result of a collaborative effort that involved input from the public, Sanctuary Advisory Council and Intergovernmental Policy Council,” said Daniel J. Basta, director of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, in a prepared statement.
“We welcome further public review and comment as we go forward with the important job of managing this special undersea place for future generations to enjoy.”
The management plan is broken down into six priorities:
• Fulfill treaty trust responsibility.
• Achieve collaborative and coordinated management.
• Conduct collaborative research, assessments and monitoring to support ecosystem-based management.
• Improve ocean literacy.
• Conserve natural resources.
• Understand the sanctuary’s cultural, historical and socioeconomic significance.
Congress requires each of the 13 national marine sanctuaries to periodically review their management plans.
The idea is to ensure that they continue to conserve, protect and enhance significant living and cultural resources and compatible commercial and recreational activities, sanctuary officials said.
A final version of the new management plan is expected to be released in September.
“Then, really, the work starts because now we have to implement the plan,” Galasso said.
“We’re not going to be able to accomplish everything that’s listed in the plan.”
Resources, or lack thereof, will determine how much of the plan will be implemented. It takes into account different funding levels.
“It’s important to take into account not only our own resources, but also the resources of our partners,” Galasso said.
“We’re very well-aligned with the state. We have a lot of common interests. One really good example is habitat mapping.”
Galasso said performance measures in the plan will foster greater transparency and accountability to the public.
“Frankly, the limitations are in the implementation,” Galasso said.
“These are challenging times for the federal and state budget, and we need to look for areas to be more efficient.”
Public comments can be mailed to Galasso, acting superintendent, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, 115 E. Railroad Ave., Suite 301, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
They also can be faxed to 360-457-8496.
Comments may be submitted electronically through www.regulations.gov. Under document type, select “Proposed Rule.” Under “Keyword or ID,” type 0648-BA20.